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THE   WORKS 


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BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


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of  tfje 


,   THE 


WORKS 


OF, 


NICHOLAS   RIDLEY,    D.D 


,  SOMETIME   LORD    BISHOP   OF   LONDON, 


MARTYR,   1555. 


EDITED  FOB 


BY    THE 
REV.  HENRY  CHRISTMAS,  M.A.  F.R.S.  F.S.A. 


,  5- 


CAMBRIDGE: 

PRINTED    AT 

THE    UNIVERSITY    PRESS. 

M.DCCC.XLIII. 


5/-3D 


TABLE   OF  CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

BIOGRAPHICAL  Notice  of  Ridley  i 

ORIGINAL  TREATISES. 

1.  Brief  Declaration  or  Treatise  against  Transubstantiation   ...  1 

2.  Piteous  Lamentation 47    v 

3.  Treatise  against  Image  Worship 81 

CONFERENCES. 

4.  Conferences  with  Latimer 97 

5.  Conference  with  Secretary  Bourne 163 

JUDICIA. 

6.  A  Determination  concerning  the  Sacrament 167 

7.  Judicium  de  Epistolis  Decretalibus 180 

DISPUTATIONS  AND  EXAMINATIONS. 

8.  Disputation  at  Oxford 185 

9.  Examination  before  the  Queen's  Commissioners    253 

SMALLER  DOCUMENTS. 

10.  Ridley's  account  of  his  disputation  at  Oxford 303 

11.  The  Theological  Variations  of  Stephen  Gardiner  307 

12.  Answer  to  certain  Queries  touching  the  abuses  of  the  Mass...  316 

13.  Injunctions  to  the  Diocese  of  London  319 

14.  Reasons  why  the  Lord's  board  should  be  in  the  form  of  a  table  321 

LETTERS. 

15.  Letters.— XXXIV 325 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


APPENDICES. 


PAGE 

I.  DISPUTATIO  habita  Oxonii 

II.  Articles  of  accusation  against  Ridley 

III.  Letter  of  Dr  Turner  to  John  Fox  

IV.  Letter  from  Gardiner  to  Ridley.... 

V.      the  Protector  to  Ridley 

V1  ....  Edward  VI.  to  Ridley  50? 

"  509 

Notes   

513 

Index  


A   BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICE 


OF 


NICHOLAS    RIDLEY,    D.D., 

BISHOP    OF   LONDON,  1550— 1553. 


DR  NICHOLAS  RIDLEY l  was  born  in  the  beginning  of  the 
sixteenth  century  (the  exact  date  is  not  known),  in  North  - 

1  Ridley.     The  allusions  made  by  Bp  Ridley  to  his  family  in  his 
letters,  and  especially  in  his  "  Farewell,"  where  he  specifically  addresses 
its  several  branches,  render  it  desirable  to  give  some  account  of  his 
relatives  and  their  possessions.     The  origin  of  the  name  may  be  traced 
more  satisfactorily  than  that  of  many  others  now  equally  illustrious. 
It   appears   to  have  been   Scottish,   and   originally  Riddle,   or  rather 
Ryedale,  of  which  Riddle  is  a  corruption;  and  the  Riddles  of  Glen- 
riddle  might  have  traced  their  descent  to  a  common  stock  with  the 
Ridleys  of  Willymotswick.     The  Ridleys  appear  to  have  had  their  full 
share  in  the  disturbances  so  frequent  in  the  border  territory,  and  in 
works  which  treat  on  Border  History  occur  many  instances  both  of 
their  courage  and  their  importance.     Turner  speaks  of  one  of  Ridley's 
uncles  who  was  a  knight;   it  is  just  possible  that  he  may  have  been 
the  same  person  with  the   Richard   Ridley  of  Hardriding,  of  whom 
mention  is  made  by  Ridpath.     A  passage  in  the  Border   Minstrelsy 
mentions  those  branches  of  the  Ridley  family  located  at  Willymots 
wick,  Hardriding,  Hawden  and  Waltown ;  the  first  of  whom  was  pro 
bably  the  uncle  of  Nicholas  Ridley,  and  father  to  the  "worshipful 
cousin  of  Willowmountswick,"  addressed  by  the   Bishop  in  his  last 
farewell.     To  this  passage  the  editor  appends  the  following  note,  the 
information  of  which  he  derived,  he  says,  from  Mr  Surtees.     "  Willi- 
moteswick"   (the    etymology  of   which    name  is  given  in  a  note  to 
Appendix  III.),  "now  called  Ridley  Hall,  is  situated  at  the  confluence 
of  the  Allon  and  Tyne,  and  was  the  chief  seat  of  the  ancient  family 
of  Ridley.     Walltown,  where  another  branch  of  the  same  family  was 
settled,  was  so  called  from  its  situation   on   the  great   Roman  wall." 
1    "A  feud  did  certainly  exist  between  the  Ridleys  and  the 
Featherstonehaughs,  another  border  family,  and  which  led  on  more  than 

one 

a 
[RIDLEY.] 


11  A     BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 

umberland,  not  far  from  the  Scottish  border.  Thus  much  he 
states  himself;  and  to  this  his  friend  and  fellow-collegian, 
Dr  Turner1,  adds,  that  the  place  of  his  birth  was  Wilmonts- 
wick.  "  His  father,"  says  Dr  Glocester  Ridley,  "  was  the 
third  son  of  a  very  ancient  family,  which  had  been  seated 
there  through  a  long  descent  of  knights  for  many  genera 
tions  ;  the  second  son  was  John,  father  to  Dr  Lancelot  Ridley, 
and  a  fourth  son  was  Dr  Robert  Ridley." 

"Descended  from  this  ancient  stock,  he  degenerated  not 
from  the  virtues  of  his  ancestors,  but  gave  a  much  greater 
lustre  to  his  family  than  he  derived  from  it."  His  school 
education  he  received  at  Newcastle  upon  Tyne,  from  whence 
he  was  removed,  about  A.  D.  1518,  to  Pembroke  College  in 
Cambridge,  at  the  expence  of  his  uncle  Dr  Robert  Ridley, 
then  a  Fellow  of  Queens1  College. 

The  following  dates  of  the  chief  events  in  Ridley^s  life 
are  collected  from  Dr  Glocester  Ridley  and  Bp  Godwin2: 

Born  in  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

Entered  at  Pembroke  College,  about   A.D.  1518 

B.  A 1522 

Elected  fellow  of  University  College,  Oxford,  but  declined  the 

honour    1524 

Fellow  of  Pembroke  College,  Cambridge  1524 

one  occasion  to  fatal  results,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  following  ex 
tracts  from  the  Inquis.  Calend.  '24  Oct.  22do  Henrici  8vi  Inquisitio 
capt.  apud  Hautwhistle  sup.  visum  corpus  Alex.  Featherstone  Gen.  apud 
Greenselhaugh,  felonice  interfecti  21  Oct.  per  Nicolaum  Ridley  de  Un- 
thanke,  Gen. — Hugon.  Ridle.  Nicolaum  Ridle  et  alios  ejusdem  nominis.' 
Nor  were  the  Featherstones  without  their  revenge,  for  in  36to  Henrici 
8vi  we  have,  fUt  legatio  Nicolai  Featherston  ac  Thomee  Nyxon,  &c. 
pro  homicidio  Willmi.  Ridle  de  Morale.'  These  extracts  are  here  given 
as  much  with  a  view  to  shew  the  various  modes  of  spelling  the  name, 
Ridley — Riddle- -Ridle — Rydley— of  which  the  first  only  is  now  pre 
served,  as  to  throw  some  light  on  the  allusions  in  the  Bishop's  letters." 

1  See  Appendix  III. 

2  Ridley's  Life  of  Dr  N.  Ridley,  London,  1763,  4to.     F.  Godwini  de 
Prfesulibus  Anglise  Commentarius  (p.  192)  with  Dr  Richardson's  Notes. 
Cantabrigiae,  1743.  fol. 


BISHOP    RIDLEY.  Ill 

M.A 1525 

College  agent  for  Tylney,  Soham,  and  Saxthorpe  Churches  1526 

Went  to  Paris,  and  studied  at  the  Sorbonne  1527 

Returned  to  England.    Junr.  Treasurer  of  Pembroke  College  ...  1530 

Senior  Proctor 1533 

Signed  the  decree  against  the  Pope's  Supremacy  at  Cambridge ...  1534 

B.D 1534 

Chaplain  to  the  University  and  Public  Orator   1534 

Chaplain  to  Archbishop  Cranmer 1537 

Vicar  of  Herne    1538 

Master  of  Pembroke  College,  and  D.D 1540 

Chaplain  to  Henry  VIII 1540 

Prebendary  of  Canterbury  1541 

Prebendary  of  Westminster    1545 

Vicar  of  Soham   1547 

Bishop  of  Rochester  1547 

Commissioner  to  visit  Cambridge 1549 

Bishop  of  London  1550 

Nominated  Bishop  of  Durham  1553 

Excepted  from  the  Amnesty  by  Mary    1553 

Committed  to  the  Tower,  July 1553 

Sent  to  Oxford  to  dispute  1554 

Martyrdom,  October  16    1555 

From  the  preceding  list  of  dates  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  college  career  of  Bishop  Ridley  was  highly  honourable 
and  equally  successful ;  and  so  great  were  the  hopes  excited 
by  his  learning  and  abilities,  that  a  fellowship  at  University 
College,  Oxford,  was  offered  for  his  acceptance.  This  honour 
he  thought  it  best  to  decline,  preferring  the  prospects  which  his 
own  University  presented  him,  and  was  accordingly  the  next 
year  elected  a  Fellow  of  his  own  College,  to  the  Master 
ship  of  which  he  subsequently  attained.  Impelled  by  that 
thirst  for  knowledge  which  ever  distinguished  him,  he  went 
in  the  year  1527  to  Paris,  for  the  purpose  of  studying  at 
the  Sorbonne ;  and  here  doubtless  he  availed  himself  of  every 
advantage  presented  to  him  by  that  then  celebrated  seat  of 
learning.  But  the  University  of  Paris  was  already  in  its 

a— 2 


IV  A    BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 

decline,  and  Ridley  has  given  a  picture  by  no  means  favour 
able  of  the  then  prevailing  style  of  disputation  among  its 
members.  His  absence  was  not  long,  for  we  find  him,  in 
1530,  Junior  Treasurer  of  Pembroke  Hall.  He  signed,  as 
Proctor,  in  1534,  the  Decree  against  the  Pope's  supremacy, 
and  continued  steadily  rising  in  his  University  career.  In 
1538  he  appeared  in  a  new  capacity,  that  of  a  parish- 
priest.  The  Vicarage  of  Herne,  in  Kent,  was  bestowed  upon 
him ;  and  with  the  intense  but  well-directed  zeal  which 
formed  so  essential  a  part  of  his  character,  he  applied  him 
self  to  the  duties  of  his  new  situation.  So  successful  was 
he  as  a  preacher,  that  he  attracted  to  his  church  numbers 
who  had  hitherto  altogether  omitted  the  duty  of  attendance 
on  the  services  of  the  church ;  nor  was  he  less  attentive  to 
the  other  parts  of  his  parochial  duty. 

His  subsequent  history  will  be  given  in  the  words  of 
Fox,  which,  brief  as  they  are,  form  nearly  all  that  can  be 
known  of  this  great  and  good  man's  life. 

The  "  Life  and  Story"  of  Bishop  Ridley  preserved  in 
the  "Acts  and  Monuments",  is  valuable  and  interesting, 
more  especially  as  it  gives  many  particulars  of  his  domestic 
life,  which  are  preserved  in  no  other  author.  The  mar- 
tyrologist,  after  some  introductory  remarks,  proceeds  thus: 
"  Among  many  other  worthy  and  sundry  histories  and  notable 
acts  of  such  as  of  late  days  have  been  turmoiled,  murdered, 
and  martyred  for  the  true  gospel  of  Christ  in  queen  Mary's 
reign,  the  tragical  story  and  life  of  Dr  Ridley  I  thought 
good  to  commend  to  chronicle,  and  leave  to  perpetual  me 
mory :  beseeching  thee,  gentle  reader,  with  care  and  study 
well  to  peruse,  diligently  to  consider,  and  deeply  to  print  the 
same  in  thy  breast,  seeing  him  to  be  a  man  beautified  with 
such  excellent  qualities,  so  ghostly  inspired  and  godly  learned, 
and  now  written  doubtless  in  the  book  of  life,  with  the 
blessed  saints  of  the  Almighty,  crowned  and  throned 


BISHOP     RIDLEY. 


amongst  the  glorious  company  of  martyrs.     First  descending 

of  a  stock  right  worshipful,  lie  was  born  in  Northumberland-  Nicholas 

Ridley  born 

shire,   who  being  a  child,  learned   his   grammar  with   great  y^ 


dexterity   in   Newcastle,   and^  was   removed   from    thence    to  a 
the  University  of  Cambridge,  where  he  in  short  time  became  Newcastle. 
so   famous,  that   for  his  singular  aptness  he  was  called  to 
higher   functions   and   offices    of  the    University,   by   degree 
attaining  thereunto,  and  was  called  to  be  head  of  Pembroke  Nicholas 

Ridley 

Hall,  and  there  made  Doctor  of  Divinity.     After  this,  de-  Master  of 

*  Pembroke 


parting  from  thence,  he  travelled  to  Paris,  who  at  his  return 

was   made   Chaplain   to    King  Henry  the   Eighth,   and  pro-  Ridley  made 

moted  afterwards   by  him  to  the  Bishoprick  of  Rochester  : 


and   so   from  thence   translated   to  the  See  and  Bishoprick 

•       TT~-          T^T  111  Chaplain. 

of  London  in  King  Edwards  days  .  Nicholas 

J  .  Ridley  made 

"  In  which  calling  and  offices  he  so  travelled  and  occu-  Chester 
pied  himself  by  preaching  and  teaching  the  true  and  whole-  Ridley-made 
some   doctrine   of  Christ,  that   never   good   child  was   more  London. 

The  fruitful 

singularly  loved  of  his  dear  parents,  than  he  of  his  flock 
and  diocese.  Every  holiday  and  Sunday  he  lightly  preached 

God's  word. 

in  some  one  place  or  other,  except  he  were  otherwise  letted 
by  weighty  affairs  and  business,  to  whose  sermons  the  people 
resorted,  swarming  about  him  like  bees,  and  coveting  the 
sweet  flowers  and  wholesome  juice  of  the  fruitful  doctrine, 
which  he  did  not  only  preach,  but  shewed  the  same  by  his 

1  Ridley  was  not  promoted  to  the  see  of  Rochester  till  after  the 
king's  death,  but  it  would  appear  that  he  was  intended  to  be  placed 
in  that  see  as  soon  as  the  death  of  Longland,  the  aged  bishop  of 
Lincoln,  made  a  vacancy  for  the  translation  of  Holbeach,  then  bishop 
of  Rochester.  Gloucester  Ridley  remarks,  that  the  historians  of  the 
latter  part  of  Henry's  reign  and  the  beginning  of  that  of  Edward  VI. 
speak  of  him  as  having  been  appointed  to  preach  the  funeral  sermon 
of  Francis  I.  at  St  Paul's,  calling  him  elect  of  Rochester;  but  that 
even  in  this  particular  they  are  inaccurate,  as  this  sermon  was  preached 
on  the  19th  of  June,  1547j,  and  the  conge  d'elire  was  not  issued  to 
the  chapter  of  Rochester  till  the  first  of  August  following,  Henry 
VIII.  having  died  on  the  28th  of  January  in  the  same  year.  Gloucest. 
Ridley's  Life  of  Bishop  Ridley,  pp.  184,  210,  211. 


A     BIOGRAPHICAL     NOTICE    OF 


life,  as  a  glittering  lantern  to  the  eyes  and  senses  of  the 
blind,  in  such  pure  order  and  chastity  of  life  (declining 
from  evil  desires  and  concupiscences),  that  even  his  very 
enemies  could  not  reprove  him  in  any  one  iota  thereof. 
fey  of^reat"  "  Besides  this,  he  was  passingly  well  learned,  his  memory 
SSaudwas  great  and  he  of  such  reading  withal,  that  of  right  he 
deserved  to  be  comparable  to  the  best  of  this  our  age,  as 
can  testify  as  well  divers  his  notable  works,  pithy  sermons, 
and  sundry  his  disputations  in  both  the  Universities,  as  also 
his  very  adversaries,  all  which  will  say  no  less  themselves. 

"Besides  all  this,  wise  he  was  of  counsel,  deep  of  wit, 
and  very  politic  in  all  his  doings.  How  merciful  and  care 
ful  he  was  to  reduce  the  obstinate  Papists  from  their  erro 
neous  opinions,  and  by  gentleness  to  win  them  to  the  truth, 
his  gentle  ordering  and  courteous  handling  of  Doctor  Heath, 
late  Archbishop  of  York,  being  prisoner  with  him  in  King 
Edward^s  time  in  his  house  one  year,  sufficiently  declareth. 
In  fine,  he  was  such  a  prelate,  and  in  all  points  so  good, 
godly,  and  ghostly  a  man,  that  England  may  justly  rue  the 
loss  of  so  worthy  a  treasure.  And  thus  hitherto  concerning 
these  public  matters. 

Bishop  Rid-        "  Now  will  I  speak  something  further  particularly  of  his 
"    Person   anc*   conditions.     He   was   a   man   right   comely  and 


complexion.  ^^  proportioned  in  all  points,  both  in  complexion  and 
lineaments  of  the  body.  He  took  all  things  in  good  part, 
bearing  no  malice  nor  rancour  from  his  heart,  but  straight- 
ways  forgetting  all  injuries  and  offences  done  against  him. 

Thefaircon-  He  was  very  kind  and  natural  to  his  kinsfolk,  and  yet  not 

ditions  of 

teffiJte?'  bearing  with  them  anything  otherwise  than  right  would  re- 
dred,yetnot  quire,   giving   them   always   for   a   general   rule,   yea   to   his 

otherwise 


own  brother  and  sister,  that  they  doing  evil  should  seek  or 
required.     jook  ^  j^^ing  a^  hjs   hand,  but   should   be   as   strangers 


and  aliens  unto  him,  and  they  to  be  his  brother  or  sister, 
which  used  honesty  and  a  godly  trade  of  life. 


BISHOP    RIDLEY.  Vll 

"  He  using  all  kinds  of  ways  to  mortify  himself,  was  given  Bishop^ Rid- 
to  much  prayer  and  contemplation :   for  duly  every  morning,  JSJ2ij£r  °f 
so  soon  as  his  apparel  was  done  upon  him,  he  went  forth 
with  to  his  bedchamber,  and  there  upon  his   knees   prayed 
the  space  of  half  an  hour,  which  being  done,  immediately  he  The  order  of 
went  to  his  study,   (if  there  came  no  other  business  to  m-anddiet- 
terrupt  him,)  where  he  continued  till  ten  of  the  clock,  and 
then  came  to  common  prayer,  daily  used  in  his  house.     The 
prayers  being  done  he  went  to  dinner,  where  he  used  little 
talk,  except  otherwise  occasion  by  some  had  been  ministered, 
and  then  was  it   sober,  discreet,  and  wise,   and   sometimes 
merry,  as  cause  required. 

"  The  dinner  done,  which  was  not  very  long,  he  used  to 
sit  an  hour  or  thereabouts  talking  or  playing  at  the  chess : 
that  done,  he  returned  to  his  study,  and  there  would  con 
tinue,  except  suitors  or  business  abroad  were  occasion  of 
the  contrary,  until  five  of  the  clock  at  night,  and  then  would 
come  to  common  prayer,  as  in  the  forenoon,  which  being 
finished  he  went  to  supper,  behaving  himself  there  as  at  his 
dinner  before ;  after  supper  recreating  himself  in  playing  at  j^gr°jje)r 
chess  the  space  of  an  hour,  he  would  then  return  again  to  pcr> 
his  study ;  continuing  there  till  eleven  of  the  o'clock  at  night, 
which  was  his  common  hour  to  go  to  bed,  then  saying  his 
prayers  upon  his  knees,  as  in  the  morning  when  he  rose. 
Being  at  his  manor  of  Fulham,  as  divers  times  he  used  to 
be,  he  read  daily  a  lecture  to  his  family  at  the  common  The  careful 

i  diligence  of 

prayer,  beginning  at  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  so  going  Bishop  Rid- 
throughout  all  the  Epistles  of  St  Paul,  giving  to  every 
man  that  could  read  a  New  Testament,  hiring  them  besides 
with  money  to  learn  by  heart  certain  principal  chapters, 
but  especially  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  the  Acts ;  reading 
also  unto  his  household  oftentimes  the  one  hundred  and 
first  Psalm,  being  marvellous  careful  over  his  family,  that 
they  might  be  a  spectacle  of  all  virtue  and  honesty  to 


Vlll  A     BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 

other.  To  be  short,  as  he  was  godly  and  virtuous  him 
self,  so  nothing  but  virtue  and  godliness  reigned  in  his 
house,  feeding  them  with  the  food  of  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ. 

"  Now  remaineth  a  word  or  two  to  be  declared  of  his  gentle 
nature  and  kindly  pity  in  the  usage  of  an  old  woman  called 
Mistress  Bonner,  mother  to  Doctor  Bonner,  sometime  bishop 
of  London:  which  I  thought  good  to  touch,  as  well  for  the 
rare  clemency  of  Doctor  Ridley,  as  the  unworthy  immanity 
Thebeha-  and  ungrateful  disposition  again  of  Doctor  Bonner.  Bishop 

viur  of 


[d-  Ridley,  being  at  his  manor  of  Fulham,  always  sent  for  the 
J"er's  said  Mistress  Bonner,  dwelling  in  an  house  adjoining  to  his 
house,  to  dinner  and  supper,  with  one  Mistress  Mungey, 
Bonner's  sister,  saying,  Go  for  my  mother  Bonner ;  who 
coming,  was  ever  placed  in  the  chair  at  the  table's  end, 
being  so  gently  entreated,  welcomed,  and  taken,  as  though 
he  had  been  born  of  her  own  body,  being  never  displaced 
of  her  seat,  although  the  king's  council  had  been  present, 
saying,  when  any  of  them  were  there  (as  divers  times  they 
were),  By  your  lordships'  favour,  this  place  of  right  and  cus- 
Thecourte-  torn  is  for  my  mother  Bonner.  But  how  well  he  was  re- 

sy  of  Ridley, 

ness  ofrish"  compensed  for  this  his  singular  gentleness  and  pitiful  pity 
scribed!  and  after  at  the  hands  of  the  said  Doctor  Bonner,  almost  the 
together,  least  child  that  goeth  by  the  ground  can  declare.  For  who 

afterward  was  more  enemy  to  Ridley  than  Bonner  and  his? 

Who  more  went  about  to  seek  his  destruction  than  he  ? 
Bishop  Rid-  recompensing  his  gentleness  with  extreme  cruelty.  As  well 

appeared  by  the  strait  handling  of  Ridley's  own  natural  sister, 


r'  un-  and  George  Shipside  her  husband,  from  time  to  time  :  whereas 
churlish  to   the  gentleness  of  the  other  did  suffer  Bonner's  mother,  sister, 

Bishop  Rid- 

other   his   kindred,    not   only  quietly  to   enjoy  all   that 


MS  brother/  which  they  had  of  Bonner,  but  also  entertained  them  in 
his  house,  shewing  much  courtesy  and  friendship  daily 
unto  them  :  whereas  on  the  other  side  Bishop  Bonner,  being 


BISHOP    RIDLEY.  IX 

restored  again,  would  not  suffer  the  brother  and  natural 
sister  of  Bishop  Ridley,  and  other  his  friends,  not  only  not 
to  enjoy  that  which  they  had  by  the  said  their  brother 
Bishop  Ridley,  but  also  currishly,  without  all  order  of  law 
or  honesty,  by  extort  power  wrested  from  them  all  the 
livings  they  had. 

"  And  yet  being  not  therewith  satisfied,  he  sought  all 
the  means  he  could  to  work  the  death  of  the  aforesaid 
Shipside,  saying  that  he  would  make  twelve  godfathers  to 
go  upon  him ;  which  had  been  brought  to  pass  indeed,  at 
what  time  he  was  prisoner  at  Oxford,  had  not  God  other 
wise  wrought  his  deliverance  by  means  of  Doctor  Heath, 
bishop  then  of  Worcester.  Teste  Georgia  Shipsidio. 

"  Whereby  all  good  indifferent  readers  notoriously  have 
to  understand,  what  great  diversity  was  in  the  disposition  of 
these  two  natures.  Whereof  as  the  one  excelled  in  mercy 
and  pity,  so  the  other  again  as  much  or  more  excelled  in 
churlish  ingratitude  and  despiteful  disdain.  But  of  this  matter 
enough. 

"  Now  concerning  God's  vocation,  how  Doctor  Ridley  was 
first  called  to  the  savouring  and  favouring  of  Christ  and 
his  gospel,  partly  by  his  disputation  before,  and  other  his 
treatises,  it  may  appear,  that  the  first  occasion  of  his  con 
version  was  by  reading  of  Bertram's  book  of  the  Sacrament,  Bishop  md- 
whom  also  the  conference  with  Bishop  Cranmer  and  with  verted  by 

Bertram's 

Peter  Martyr  did  not  a  little  confirm  in  that  behalf.  Who  Books- 
now  by  the  grace  of  God,  being  throughly  won  and  brought 
to  the  true  way,  as  he  was  before  blind  and  zealous  in  his 
old  ignorance,  so  was  he  as  constant  and  faithful  in  the 
right  knowledge  which  the  Lord  had  opened  unto  him,  (as 
well  appeared  by  his  preachings  and  doings  during  all  the 
time  of  king  Edward,)  and  so  long  did  much  good,  while 
authority  of  extern  power  might  defend  and  hold  up  the 
peace  of  the  church  and  proceedings  of  the  gospel.  But 


X  A    BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 

Bishop  Rid-  after  that  it  pleased  so  the  heavenly   will  of  the  Lord  our 

ley  one  of  * 

troubteafter  ^°^  to  bereave  us  of  our  stay,  and  to  call  from  us   King 
Kin/Ed-°  Edward    that   precious    Prince,    as   the   whole    state   of  the 

ward. 

Church  of  England  was  left  desolate  and  open  to  the  ene 
mies1  hand;  so  this  Bishop  Ridley,  after  the  coming  in  of 
Queen  Mary1,  eftsoon  and  with  the  first  was  laid  hands  upon 

1  Ridley  while  Bishop  of  London  had  visited  the  (then)  Princess 
Mary,  and  offered  to  preach  before  her.  This  interview  seems  to  have 
created  in  Mary's  mind  a  dislike  to  Ridley.  An  account  of  it  has 
been  preserved  by  Fox,  in  the  following  words: 

About  the  eighth  of  September,  1552,  Dr  Ridley,  then  bishop  of 
London,  lying  at  his  house  at  Hadham  in  Herts,  went  to  visit  the 
Lady  Mary,  then  lying  at  Hunsden  two  miles  off,  and  was  gently  en 
tertained  of  Sir  Thomas  Wharton  and  other  her  officers,  till  it  was 
almost  eleven  of  the  clock,  about  which  time  the  said  Lady  Mary 
came  forth  into  her  chamber  of  presence,  and  then  the  said  bishop 
there  saluted  her  Grace,  and  said  that  he  was  come  to  do  this  duty 
to  her  Grace;  then  she  thanked  him  for  his  pains,  and  for  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  talked  with  him  very  pleasantly,  and  said  that  she  knew 
him  in  the  court  when  he  was  chaplain  to  her  father,  and  could 
well  remember  a  sermon  that  he  made  before  King  Henry  her  father 
at  the  marriage  of  my  Lady  Clinton  that  now  is  to  Sir  Anthony 
Browne,  &c.  and  so  dismissed  him  to  dine  with  her  officers.  After 
the  dinner  was  done,  the  bishop  being  called  for  by  the  said  Lady  Mary, 
resorted  again  to  her  Grace,  between  whom  this  communication  was: 
first  the  bishop  beginneth  in  manner  as  followeth.  "Madam,  I  came 
not  only  to  do  my  duty  to  see  your  Grace,  but  also  to  offer  myself  to 
preach  before  you  on  Sunday  next,  if  it  will  please  you  to  hear  me." 

At  this  her  countenance  changed,  and  after  silence  for  a  space,  she 
answered  thus :  "  My  Lord,  as  for  this  last  matter,  I  pray  you  make 
the  answer  to  it  yourself." 

Ridley. — "  Madam,  considering  mine  office  and  calling,  I  am  bound 
to  make  your  Grace  this  offer  to  preach  before  you." 

Mary.—"  Well,  I  pray  you,  make  the  answer,  as  I  have  said,  to  this 
matter  yourself,  for  you  know  the  answer  well  enough ;  but  if  there  be 
no  remedy,  but  I  must  make  you  answer,  this  shall  be  your  answer,  the 
door  of  the  parish  church  adjoining  shall  be  open  for  you,  if  you  come, 
and  ye  may  preach  if  you  list,  but  neither  I  nor  any  of  mine  shall  hear 
you." 

Ridley.—"  Madam,  I  trust  you  will  not  refuse  God's  word." 

Mary. — "  I  cannot  tell  what  ye  call  God's  word — that  is  not  God's 
word  now,  that  was  God's  word  in  my  father's  days." 

Ridley. — "God's  word  is  one  at  all  times,  but  hath  been  better 
understood  and  practised  in  some  ages  than  in  other." 


BISHOP    RIDLEY.  XI 

and   committed   to   prison,    as   before  hath  sufficiently    been 
expressed :    first   in   the    Tower,    then  after  translated   from  i£shoj>  Rid- 
thence  with  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  Master  La-  to  the  prison 

of  Jiocardo 

timer  to  Oxford,  was  with  them  inclosed  in  the  common in  Oxford- 
gaol  and  prison  of  Bocardo,  while  at  length  being  dissevered 
from  them,  he  was  committed  to  custody  in  the  house  of 
one  Irish,  where  he  remained  till  the  last  day  of  his  death 
and  martyrdom,  which  was  from  the  year  of  our  Lord,  1554, 
till  the  year  1555,  and  16th  day  of  October." 

Mary. — "  You  durst  not  for  your  ears  have  avouched  that  for 
God's  word  in  my  father's  days  that  now  you  do ;  and  as  for  your 
new  books,  I  thank  God,  I  never  read  any  of  them,  I  never  did  nor 
ever  will  do." 

And  after  many  bitter  words  against  the  form  of  religion  then 
established,  and  against  the  government  of  the  realm,  and  the  laws 
made  in  the  young  years  of  her  brother,  which  she  said  she  was  not 
bound  to  obey  till  her  brother  came  to  perfect  age,  and  then  she  said 
she  would  obey  them;  she  asked  the  bishop  whether  he  were  one  of 
of  the  council  ?  He  answered,  "  No."  "  You  might  well  enough,"  said 
she,  "as  the  council  goeth  now-a-days."  And  so  she  concluded  with 
these  words :  "  My  lord,  for  your  gentleness  to  come  and  see  me  I 
thank  you,  but  for  your  offering  to  preach  before  me  I  thank  you 
never  a  whit." 

Then  the  said  bishop  was  brought  by  Sir  Thomas  Wharton  to  the 
place  where  they  had  dined,  and  was  desired  to  drink,  and  after  he 
had  drunk,  he  paused  awhile,  looking  very  sadly,  and  suddenly  brake 
out  into  these  words, — "  Surely  I  have  done  amiss."  "  Why  so  ?" 
quoth  Sir  Thomas  Wharton.  "  For  I  have  drunk,''  said  he,  "  in 
that  place  where  God's  word  offered  hath  been  refused,  whereas  if 
I  had  remembered  my  duty,  I  ought  to  have  departed  immediately, 
and  to  have  shaken  off  the  dust  of  my  shoes  for  a  testimony  against 
this  house."  These  words  were  by  the  said  bishop  spoken  with  such 
a  vehemency,  that  some  of  the  hearers  afterward  confessed  their  hair 
to  stand  upright  on  their  heads.  This  done,  the  said  bishop  departed, 
and  so  returned  to  his  house.  Testified  by  a  certain  reverend  per 
sonage  yet  alive,  being  then  the  bishop's  chaplain. 

2  Bishop  Ridley  appears  to  have  had  forebodings  of  the  kind  of 
death  by  which  he  should  depart  this  world.  Humphrey,  in  his  "  Life 
of  Bishop  Jewell,"  records  the  following  anecdote : 

Similiter  et  Dr  Ridlaeus,  tametsi  indignante  in  tempcstate  factatus, 
suot>  jam  territos  cohortans,  " Bono"  inqmt  " animo  estate,  et  remis  in- 
cumbite :  hccc,  cyiriba  fert  cpiscopum,  qucm  non  mergi  sed  comburi  oportet." 
P.  258,  9,  A.D.  1573. 


Xll  A    BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 

His  character  is  sufficiently  depicted  in  his  works :  they 
indicate  a  mind  of  the  very  highest  order,  both  as  to  power 
and  acuteness,  and  where  he  fairly  entered  into  a  subject  he 
left  but  little  for  after  writers  to  touch  upon.  In  matters  of 
controversy  his  immense  patristic  learning  gave  him  a  de 
cided  advantage  over  all  his  antagonists,  and  the  general 
idea  of  his  importance  to  the  cause  of  the  Reformation  may 
be  estimated  from  the  words  of  one  of  his  most  distinguished 
adversaries :  "  Latimer  leaneth  to  Cranmer,  Cranmer  leaneth 
to  Ridley,  and  Ridley  leaneth  to  his  own  singular  wit." 

The  quaint  lines  wherein  Quarles  gives  the  character  of 
Ridley  may  not  be  unacceptable  to  the  reader: 

Read,  in  the  progress  of  this  blessed  story, 

Home's  cursed  cruelty  and  Ridley's  glory: 

Rome's  siren's  song;  but  Ridley's  careless  ear 

Was  deaf:  they  charm'd,  but  Ridley  would  not  hear. 

Rome  sung  preferment,  but  brave  Ridley's  tongue 

Condemned  that  false  preferment  which  Rome  sung. 

Rome  whispered  death;  but  Ridley,  (whose  great  gain 

Was  godliness)  he  waved  it  with  disdain. 

Rome  threatened  durance,  but  great  Ridley's  mind 

Was  too,  too  strong  for  threats  or  chains  to  bind. 

Rome  thundered  death,  but  Ridley's  dauntless  eye 

Star'd  in  death's  face,  and  scorn'd  death  standing  by. 

In  spite  of  Rome  for  England's  faith  he  stood, 

And  in  the  flames  he  sealed  it  with  his  blood. 

Bishop  Ridley  complied  with  the  apostolic  maxim,  "  Let 
your  moderation  be  known  unto  all  men."  The  share  which 
he  took  in  the  arrangement  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
and  other  ecclesiastical  formularies,  enables  us  to  judge  with 
some  accuracy  as  to  his  correct  views  of  church-government. 
As  a  bishop,  both  at  Rochester  and  in  the  more  important 
see  of  London,  his  conduct  was  beyond  all  praise ;  his  judg 
ment  and  his  activity  were  alike  called  into  exercise,  and 
were  but  too  painfully  contrasted  with  those  of  his  prede- 


BISHOP    RIDLEY.  Xlll 

cessor  and  successor1.  The  account  of  his  martrydom  will 
be  found  after  that  of  his  last  examination  at  Oxford.  The 
lists  of  his  works  have  been  various,  that  by  Bishop  Tanner, 
given  in  the  Bibliotheca  Brittanico-Hibernica,  is  the  most 
complete.  It  is  as  follows : 

I.  Treatise  concerning  Images  not  to  be  set  up  nor 
worshipped  in  churches.  Pr.  First  the  words  of  the  comm. — 
Fox,  p.  2128. 

1  A  remarkable  instance  of  the  beneficial  effect  of  Ridley's  counsels 
is  to  be  seen  in  the  foundation  of  three  institutions  in  the  reign  of  Ed 
ward  VI.,  and  which  in  point  of  date  may  be  called  the  first  fruits  of  the 
Reformation.  Both  in  the  council  chamber  and  the  pulpit  did  this 
eminent  prelate  resist  the  sacrilegious  spirit  of  his  day;  and  though 
the  young  King  was  but  partially  able  to  resist  the  tide  of  corruption, 
he  yet  founded,  at  the  suggestion  of  Ridley,  no  less  than  sixteen  gram 
mar-schools,  and  designed,  had  his  life  been  spared,  to  erect  twelve 
colleges  for  the  education  of  youth.  Shortly  before  his  death  he  sent 
for  the  bishop,  and  thanking  him  for  a  sermon  in  which  he  strongly 
pressed  the  duty  of  providing  for  the  poverty  and  ignorance  of  our 
fellow-men,  added ;  "  I  took  myself  to  be  especially  touched  by  your 
speech,  as  well  in  regard  of  the  abilities  God  hath  given  me,  as  in  regard 
of  the  example  which  from  me  he  will  require ;  for  as  in  the  kingdom 
I  am  next  under  God,  so  must  I  most  nearly  approach  him  in  goodness 
and  mercy;  for  as  our  miseries  stand  most  in  need  of  aid  from  him, 
so  are  we  the  greatest  debtors— debtors  to  all  that  are  miserable,  and 
shall  be  the  greatest  accountants  of  our  dispensation  therein ;  and  there 
fore,  my  lord,  as  you  have  given  me,  I  thank  you,  this  general  exhorta 
tion,  so  direct  me  (I  pray  you)  by  what  particular  actions  I  may  this 
way  best  discharge  my  duty."  The  bishop,  who  was  not  prepared  for 
such  a  request,  begged  time  to  consider,  and  to  consult  with  those  who 
were  more  conversant  with  the  condition  of  the  poor.  Having  taken 
the  advice  of  the  Lord  Mayor  and  aldermen  of  London,  he  shortly 
returned  to  the  King,  representing  that  there  appeared  to  be  three 
different  classes  of  poor.  Some  were  poor  by  impotency  of  nature, 
as  young  fatherless  children,  old  decrepit  persons,  idiots,  cripples,  and 
such  like,  these  required  to  be  educated  and  maintained ;  for  them 
accordingly  the  King  gave  up  the  Grey  Friars'  Church,  near  Newgate 
Market,  now  called  Christ's  Hospital.  Other  he  observed  were  poor 
by  faculty,  as  wounded  soldiers,  diseased  and  sick  persons  who  required 
to  be  cured  and  relieved,  for  their  use  the  King  gave  St  Bartholomew's 
near  Smithfield;  the  third  sort  were  poor  by  idleness  or  unthriftyness, 
as  vagabonds,  loiterers,  &c.  who  should  be  chastised  and  reduced  to 
good  order;  for  these  the  King  appointed  his  house  at  Bridewell,  the 
ancient  mansion  of  many  English  Kings. 


XIV  A    BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 

II.  Answers   to  certain  Queries   concerning  the   abuses 
of  the  Mass.  Pr.  No  man  can  take  unto  himself  anything. 
MS.  Bibl.  Bodl.  NE.  B.  2.  7.  et  Burnet  Hist.  Reform,  torn.  ii. 
app.  p.  123. 

III.  Brief  Declaration  of  the  Lord's  Supper.     Pr.  Many 
things  confound. — 1555  et  3586,   Svo.  et  Oxon.   1688,  4to. 
Latine  per  Guliel.    Whyttyngham  Genev.   1556,   h.   t.   "de 
ccena  dominica  assertionem  e  carcere   scriptam."     Pr.  Cum 
duse  res  sint  quse  mihi.     Latina  autem   versio   in  principio 
unam  aut  alteram  sententiam  habet  quse  non  est  in  originali. 
Libro    huic    respondit  Alban   Longdale,    S.    T.    Professor   e 
colK   D.    Johan.    Cantabr.   in   "  confutatione   Catholica    Nic. 
Ridley  de  Eucharistia."   Par.  1556,  4to. 

IV.  Certain    Godly   and    Comfortable    Conferences    be 
tween  him  and  Mr  Hugh  Latimer  during  the  time  of  their 
Imprisonment.     Pr.  A  bishop  ought  to  be  unrepr. — London, 
1555,  1556,  Svo.  et  Oxon.  1688,  4to.     Et  in  partibus  trans- 
marinis,    1556,    12mo.       Editioni    Londinensi    additur,    1A 
Treatise  against   the  Error  of  Transubstantiation.     Et   ite- 
rum  cum  prsefatione  Henrici  Wharton,  Lond.  1688,  4to.     In 
MS.  Bodl.     NE.   B.   2.   7.      Extat   conferentia   una   contra 
Missam.     Pr.    All  worldly  respects  put  apart. — Et  in  Fox. 
1   edit.  p.   1285,    extat   altera   cum   Antonio   qusedam.     Pr. 
All  men  do  much  marvell. 

V.  A   Friendly  Farewell  written   during  his    Imprison 
ment  at  Oxford  unto  all  his  true  lovers  a  little  before  his 
Death.     Pr.  partis  1.     At  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  let.— 
Pr.  partis  2.     Farewell,  my  dearly  beloved  brethren. — Lond. 
1558.     Extant  apud  Fox,  p.  1770,  1776. 

VI.  A  Piteous  Lamentation  of  the  Miserable  State  of 
the  Church  of  England,  in  the  time  of  the  late  Revolt  from 
the  Gospel.     Pr.   Alas,   what  misery  is. — Lond.   1566,   Svo. 
Extat  in  Fox,  p.  1778.     2A  Comparison  between  the  Com- 

1  Same  as  No.  III.  2  Same  as  No.  VI. 


BISHOP    RIDLEY.  XV 

fortable  Doctrine  of  the  Gospel  and   the  Traditions  of  the 
Popish  Religion.     Ibid. 

VII.  An   Account    of   a    Disputation    held  at    Oxford, 
A.  D.  1554.     Pr.    I  never  yet  sithens  I  was  born. — Prodit 
Latine  cura  Gilb.  Ironside.     Oxon.  1688,  4to. 

VIII.  The  Way  of  Peace  among  all  Protestants,  being 
a  Letter  sent  by  him  to  Bishop  Hooper,  with  Observations 
upon  it. — Lond.  1688,  4to. 

3  A  Letter  of  Reconciliation  written  to  Bishop  Hooper. — 
Lond.  by  Samuel  Johnson,  1689,  4to. 

IX.  De  Abominationibus  Sedis  Romanse  et  Pontificum 
Romanorum. — Strype  in  Vita  Cranmeri,  p.  343. 

X.  Annotationes   in    Tonstalli   libros  de    Transubstan- 
tiatione.     Ibid. 

4 Collectanea  ex  Evangeliis  et  D.  Paulo,  tribus  docto- 
ribus  Ecclesise  Grsecse,  sc.  Origene,  Chrysostomo  et  Theodo- 
reto,  et  tribus  Ecclesise  Latinse,  sc.  Tertulliano,  Augustino 
et  Gelasio  de  verbis  Institutionis  Ccense  Dominicse  figurative 
intelligendis.  Ibid. 

XI.  Tres  positiones  de  sacrificio  missse  expiatorio.     Ibid, 
(same  as  VII,  but  in  Latin). 

XII.  Epistolas  ad  Fratres  in  diversis  carceribus.    Ibid. 

XIII.  De  Electione  et  Prsedestinatione.     Ibid.  p.  350. 
Vide  Literas  Martyr,  in  Bibl.  Emman.  Cant.  fol.  70. 

XIV.  Judicium  ejus  de  epistolis  decretalibus,   sc.  de 
mentis,  Anacleti,  Luciani  et  Pontiani.  et  aliorum  vetustissi- 
morum  pontificum.     Pr.   Ego  censeo  sane  esse  supposititias. 
MSS.  Bibl.  Emman.  Cant.  1.  c.  finit  ita :   Hsec  esse  respon- 
denda  censeo  Bradfordo  meo  ad  suam  Qusestionem  de  auc- 
toritate  harum  epistolarum. 

XV.  Annotationes    in   duas   Watsoni    conciones    quad- 
rigesimales  coram  regina.     MSS.  ibidem. 

XVI.  Certain   Matters  wherein   Stephen  Gardiner  dif- 
:{  Same  as  No.  VIII.  4  Same  as  No.  III. 


XVI  A     BIOGRAPHICAL     NOTICE    OF     BISHOP     RIDLEY. 

fereth  from  others  of  the  Papists,  and  from  himself,  as 
touching  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Pr.  Other 
say  that  the  body.— Fox,  1  Ed.  p.  1384. 

1  Answer  to  M.  Ant.  Constantius.     Ibid.  p.  1503. 

XVII.  Articles   to   be    Enquired   of  in   the   Visitation 
of  the  Diocese  of  London,  1550.     Concil.  M.  Brit,  et  Hib. 
torn.  iv.  p.  60.  seq. 

XVIII.  Injunctions  given  at  the  Visitation  of  the  Dio 
cese  of  London,   1550.     Burnet  Hist.  Reform,  torn,  ii.  App. 
n.  52. 

XIX.  His  Letter  to  the  Preachers  within  the  Diocese 
of  London,  setting  out  the  Sins  of  that  time.     Ibid.  n.  58. 

XX.  His  Letter  to  the  Protector  concerning  the  Visi 
tation  of  the  University  of  Cambridge.     Ibid.  n.  59. 

XXI.  Diverse  Letters.     Strype  in    Vita   Grindall,    19. 
Id.  in  Vita  Cranmer,  Ap.  Ixxxvi.     Id.  in  Vita  Parker,  29. 
Fox,  1464,  1504,  1724.     MSS.  Epist.  Martyr,  in  Bibl.  Emm. 
Coll.  Cant.     MSS.  C.  C.  C.  C.     Miscell.  i.  401 2. 

1  Same  as  No.  IV. 

2  Of  these,  the  works  numbered  I.  II.  III.  IV.  V.  VI.  VII.  VIII. 
XL  XII.  XIV.  XVI.  XVII.  XVIII.  XIX.  XX.  XXI.  have  been  pre 
served,  and  are  given  in  this  Edition ;  those  numbered  IX.  X.  XIII. 
and  XV.  have  unhappily  perished. 


A  BRIEF  DECLARATION 


THE    LORD'S    SUPPER, 


A   TREATISE 


AGAINST   THE 


ERROR  OF   TRANSUBSTANTIATION, 


WRITTEN    BY 


NICOLAS    RIDLEY, 

BISHOP   OF   LONDON, 

DURING  HIS   IMPRISONMENT, 
A.D.  1555. 


[RIDLEY.] 


tfje  HLorta*  Supper,  umtttn  fcj 
0in&ular  leartwlr  man,  anti  meet 
con^taunt  tnartir  of  ^0u 

llptriry  i3t0ftop  of 
^  prisoner  in  ©xfortr^ 
little  Jjtfort  fjr  0ufftrctr 
Ueatfte  for  tje  true 
lr0tttnoit|>r  of 


.  8. 

JFor  tl)B  safee  arc  toe  fcilUtJ  all  iage 

long,  anti  are  tomptctJ  as  sliepc 

appotntctr  to  be  slasne. 

i^cbcrilielcss  in  all 

tljesc    things    toe 

overcome  tl)tougl; 

l)im  tfjat  lo= 

beU  us. 

1555. 


TO  THE  READER. 


UNDERSTAND,   good   reader,   that    this    great    clerk   and 
blessed  martyr  Bishop  Nicholas  Ridley  sought  not  (by  set 
ting  forth  this  notable  godly  piece  of  learned  work)  the  vain 
glory  of  the  world,  nor  temporal  friendship  of  men  for  his 
present  advancement,  much  less  he  hunted  hereby  for  Bishop 
rics  and  benefices,  as  all  his  adversaries  (the  enemies  of  Chrisfs 
truth  and  ordinance)  the  papists  commonly  do :  but,  having 
consideration  of  the  great  charge  of  souls   committed   unto 
him,  and  of  the  account  thereof  which  the  justice  of  God 
would  require  at  his  hands,  intending  therewithal  to  be  found 
blameless  in  the  great  day  of  the  Lord,  seeing  he  was  put 
apart  to  defend  the  gospel ;  he  not  only  forsook  lands,  goods, 
world,   friends,   and   himself  withal,   and   testified   the    truth 
specified  in  this  book  by  his  learned  mouth,  in  the  presence 
of  the  world,  but  also  (to  leave  a  sure  monument  and  love- 
token  unto  his  flock)  he  hath  registered  it  by  his  own  pen 
in  this  form  ensuing,  and  sealed  it  up  with  his  blood.     For 
asmuch,  then,  as  he  hath  approved  himself  no  vain  disputer, 
no  weathercock,  no  hypocrite ;  seeing  he  hath  willingly  given 
his  life  for  the  truth;  and  inasmuch  also  as  his 
love  and  most  constant  Christian  conscience 
speaketh  freely  unto  thee,  gentle  reader, 
I  beseech  thee,  for  Christ's  sake 
and  thine   own,   lend  him 
thine  indifferent  heart 
and  patient 
hearing. 


1—2 


A   TREATISE 

AGAINST  THE 

ERROR    OF    TRANSUBSTANTIATION, 

MADE   BY   THE 

REVEREND  FATHER 

NICOLAS    RIDLEY, 

BISHOP  OF  LONDON, 

IN  THE   TIME  OF   HIS  IMPRISONMENT. 


MANY  things  confound  the  weak  memory:  a  few  places 
well  weighed  and  perceived  lighten  the  understanding.  Truth 
is  there  to  be  searched,  where  it  is  certain  to  be  had. 

Though  God  doth  speak  the  truth  by  man,  yet  in  man's 
word  (which  God  hath  not  revealed  to  be  his)  a  man  may 
doubt  without  mistrust  in  God.  Christ  is  the  truth  of  God 
revealed  unto  man  from  heaven  by  God  himself;  and  there 
fore  in  his  word  the  truth  is  to  be  found,  which  is  to  be 
embraced  of  all  that  be  his.  Christ  biddeth  us  ask,  and  we 
shall  have;  search,  and  we  shall  find;  knock,  and  it  shall 
be  opened  unto  us. 

Therefore,  0  heavenly  Father,  Author  and  fountain  of  all 
truth,  the  bottomless  sea  of  all  true  understanding ;  send  down, 
we  beseech  thee,  thy  holy  Spirit  into  our  hearts,  and  lighten 
our  understanding  with  the  beams  of  thy  heavenly  grace. 

We  ask  thee  this,  0  merciful  Father,  not  in  respect  of 
our  deserts,  but  for  thy  dear  Son  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ's 
sake.     Thou  knowest,   0  heavenly  Father,  that  the  contro-  The  blessed 
versy  about  the  sacrament   of  the  blessed  body  and  blood  prayers. 
of  thy  dear  Son,  our   Saviour   Jesus  Christ,  hath  troubled, 
not  of  late  only,  thy  church  of  England,  France,  Germany, 
and  Italy,  but  also  many  years  ago.     The  fault  is  ours,  no 
doubt,  thereof,  for  we  have  deserved  thy  plague. 

But,  0  Lord,  be  merciful,  and  relieve  our  misery  with 
some  light  of  grace.  Thou  knowest,  0  Lord,  how  this 
wicked  world  rolleth  up  and  down,  and  reeleth  to  and  fro, 
and  careth  not  what  thy  will  is,  so  it  may  abide  in  wealth. 


6  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

if  truth  have  wealth,  then  who  are  so  stout  to  defend  the 
a<|ctK>n  truth  as  they?  But,  if  Christ's  cross  be  laid  on  truth's  back, 
friends.  then  they  vanish  away  straight,  as  wax  before  the  fire.  But 
these  are  not  they,  O  heavenly  Father,  for  whom  I  make 
my  most  moan,  but  for  those  seely1  ones,  0  Lord,  which 
have  a  zeal  unto  thee :  those,  I  mean,  which  would  and 
wish  to  know  thy  will,  and  yet  are  letted,  holden  back,  and 
blinded,  by  the  subtilties  of  Satan  and  his  ministers,  the 
wickedness  of  this  wretched  world,  and  the  sinful  lusts  and 
affections  of  the  flesh. 

Alas!   Lord,  thou  knowest  that  we  be  of  ourselves  but 
flesh,   wherein   there   dwelleth   nothing  that   is   good.     How 
then  is  it   possible   for  man  without  thee,  0   Lord,  to  un 
derstand  thy  truth  indeed?     Can  the   natural  man  perceive 
icor.ii.      the  will  of  God?     0  Lord,  to  whom  thou  givest  a  zeal  for 
thee,  give  them  also,  we  beseech  thee,  the  knowledge  of  thy 
blessed  will.     Suffer  not  them,   0    Lord,  blindly  to  be  led, 
for  to  strive  against  thee,  as  thou  didst  those,  alas!    which 
crucified  thine   own  dear   Son :    forgive   them,    0    Lord,  for 
thy  dear  Son's  sake,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do.     They 
Johnxvi.     do  think,  alas!    0   Lord,  for  lack   of  knowledge,  that   they 
do  unto  thee  good  service,  even  when  against  thee  they  do 
most  grievously  rage.     Kemember,  0  Lord,  we  beseech  thee, 
Acts  vii.      for  whom  thy  martyr  Stephen  did  pray,  and  whom  thine  holy 
Rom.  ix.      Apostle  did  so  truly  and  earnestly  love,  that,  for  their  salva 
tion,  he  wished  himself  accursed  from  thee.     Remember,  0 
heavenly  Father,  the  prayer  of  thy  dear   Son  our   Saviour 
Luke  xxiii.   Christ  upon  the  cross,  when  he  said  unto  thee :  "  0  Father, 
forgive  them,  they  know  not  what  they  do."     With  this  for 
giveness,  O  good  Lord,  give  me,  I  beseech  thee,  thy  grace, 
so  here  briefly  to  set  forth  the  sayings  of  thy  Son  our  Sa 
viour  Christ,  of  his  Evangelists,  and  of  his  Apostles,  that, 
in  this  aforesaid  controversy,  the  light  of  thy  truth,  by  the 
lantern  of  thy  word,  may  shine  upon  all  them  that  love  thee. 
Of  the  Lord's  last  supper  do  speak  expressly  three  of  the 
Evangelists,    Matthew,    Mark,   and    Luke ;    but    none    more 
Q1  Seely — hodie  silly,  the  original  meaning  of  the  word  was  happy,  for 
tunate  :  from  that  signification  it  varied  through  the  successive  changes 
inoffensive,  weak,  or  foolish,  infirm  in  body,  in  which  last  sense  it  is 
even  now  used  in  the  north  of  England.     It  is  derived  from  the  Saxon 
>  happy.    ED.] 


OF    THE    LORDS    BT'PPER. 


plainly  nor  more  fully  declareth  the  same,  than  doth  St  Paul, 
partly  in  the  tenth,  but  especially  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of 
the  First  Epistle  unto  the  Corinthians.  As  Matthew  and 
Mark  do  agree  much  in  form  of  words,  so  do  likewise  Luke 
and  St  Paul ;  but  all  four,  no  doubt,  as  they  were  all  taught 
in  one  school,  and  inspired  with  one  Spirit,  so  taught  they 
all  one  truth.  God  grant  us  to  understand  it  well.  Amen. 

Matthew  setteth  forth  Christ's  supper  thus : 

"  When  even  was  come,  he  sat  down  with  the  twelve,  Matt- xxvi- 
&c.  As  they  did  eat,  Jesus  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks, 
brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  the  disciples,  and  said :  Take,  eat, 
this  is  my  body.  And  he  took  the  cup,  gave  thanks,  and 
gave  it  to  them,  saying :  Drink  ye  all  of  this ;  for  this  is 
my  blood  of  the  New  Testament,  that  is  shed  for  many  for 
the  remission  of  sins.  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink 
henceforth  of  this  fruit  of  the  vine-tree,  until  that  day  when 
I  shall  drink  that  new  in  my  Fathers  kingdom.  And  when 
they  had  said  grace,  they  went  out,"  &c.  Matt.  xxvi. 

Now  Mark  speaketh  of  it  thus : 

"And,  as  they  ate,  Jesus  took  bread,  blessed,  and  brake,  Markxiv. 
and  gave  to  them,  and  said:  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body. 
And  he  took  the  cup,  gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  to  them ; 
and  they  all  drank  of  it.  And  he  said  unto  them :  This  is 
my  blood  of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many. 
Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  drink  no  more  of  the  fruit  of 
the  vine,  until  that  day  that  I  drink  that  new  in  the  king 
dom  Of  God."  Markxiv. 

22 — 25. 

Here  Matthew  and  Mark  do  agree,  not  only  in  the  matter, 
but  also  almost  fully  in  the  form  of  words,  2 'saving  that,  for 
these  words  in  Matthew,  "  gave  thanks,"  Mark  hath  one  word, 
"  blessed ;"  which  signifieth  in  this  place  all  one.  And,  where 
Matthew  saith,  "  drink  ye  all  of  this ;"  Mark  saith,  "  and  they 
all  drank  of  it."  And,  where  Matthew  saith,  "  of  this  fruit 
of  the  vine ;"  Mark  leaveth  out  the  word  "  this,"  and  saith, 
"  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine." 

Now  let  us  see  likewise  what  agreement  in  form  of  words 
is  between  St  Luke  and  St  Paul.  Luke  writeth  thus: 

"  He  took  bread,  gave  thanks,  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  Luke  xxii. 

[2  The  words  in  Italics  are  not  in  the  editions  of  this  treatise  sub 
sequent  to  1556.     En.] 


8  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

them,    saying:    This   is   my   body,  which   is  given  for  you. 
This  do  in  remembrance  of  me.     Likewise  also,  when  they 
had  supped,  he  took  the  cup,  saying:  This  cup  is  the  New 
Testament  in  my  blood,  which  is  shed  for  you." 
St  Paul  setteth  forth  Christ's  supper  thus : 

i  Cor.  xi.  "  The  Lord  Jesus,  the  same  night  in  the  which  he  was 

betrayed,  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake,  and  said: 
Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body,  which  is  broken  for  you.  This 
do  in  remembrance  of  me.  After  the  same  manner  he  took 
the  cup,  when  supper  was  done,  saying:  This  cup  is  the 
New  Testament  in  my  blood.  This  do,  as  often  as  ye  shall 
drink  it,  in  the  remembrance  of  me.  For  as  often  as  ye 
shall  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  shall  show  the 

i  Cor.  xi.      Lord's  death  until  he  come." 

23 25. 

Here,  where  St  Luke  saith,  "  which  is  given ;"  Paul  saith, 
"which  is  broken."  And  as  Luke  addeth  to  the  words  of 
Paul  spoken  of  the  cup,  "  which  is  shed  for  you ;"  so  like 
wise  Paul  addeth  to  the  words  thereof,  "  This  do,  as  often 
as  ye  shall  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of  me."  The  rest  that 
followeth  in  St  Paul,  both  there  and  in  the  tenth  chapter, 
pertaineth  unto  the  right  use  of  the  Lord's  supper. 

Thus  the  Evangelists  and  St  Paul  have  rehearsed  the 
words  and  work  of  Christ,  whereby  he  did  institute  and 
ordain  this  holy  sacrament  of  his  body  and  blood,  to  be  a 
perpetual  remembrance  until  his  coming  again  of  himself  (I 
say),  that  is,  of  his  body  given  for  us,  and  of  his  blood 
shed  for  the  remission  of  sins. 

But  this  remembrance,  which  is  thus  ordained,  as  the 
author  thereof  is  Christ  (both  God  and  man),  so  by  the 
almighty  power  of  God  it  far  passeth  all  kinds  of  remem 
brances  that  any  other  man  is  able  to  make,  either  of  him 
self,  or  of  any  other  thing :  for  whosoever  receiveth  this  holy 
sacrament  thus  ordained  in  remembrance  of  Christ,  he  re 
ceiveth  therewith  either  death  or  life.  In  this,  I  trust,  we 
do  all  agree.  For  St  Paul  saith  of  the  godly  receivers  in 
iCor. x.  the  tenth  chapter  of  his  First  Epistle  unto  the  Corinthians: 
"  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  partaking 
or  fellowship  of  Christ's  blood 2"  And  also  saith:  "The 
bread  which  we  break  (and  meaneth  at  the  Lord's  table), 
is  it  not  the  partaking  or  fellowship  of  Christ's  body?" 


OF    THE    LORD  S    SUPPEll. 

Now  the  partaking  of  Christ's  body  and  of  his  blood,  unto 
the  faithful  and  godly,  is  the  partaking  or  fellowship  of 
life  and  immortality.  And  again,  of  the  bad  and  ungodly 
receivers,  St  Paul  as  plainly  saith  thus :  "He  that  eateth  1  Cor.  xi. 
of  this  bread  and  drinketh  of  this  cup  unworthily,  is  guilty 
of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord." 

Oh !  how  necessary  then  is  it,  if  we  love  life  and 
would  eschew  death,  to  try  and  examine  ourselves  before  we 
eat  of  this  bread  and  drink  of  this  cup  !  for  else,  assuredly, 
he  that  eateth  and  drinketh  thereof  unworthily  eateth  and 
drinketh  his  own  damnation,  because  he  esteemeth  not  the 
Lord's  body;  that  is,  he  reverenceth  not  the  Lord's  body 
with  the  honour  that  is  due  unto  him. 

And  that  which  was  said,  that  with  the  receipt  of  the 
holy  sacrament  of  the  blessed  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is 
received  of  every  one,  good  or  bad,  either  life  or  death;  it 
is  not  meant,  that  they  which  are  dead  before  God  may 
hereby  receive  life;  or  the  living  before  God  can  hereby 
receive  death.  For  as  none  is  meet  to  receive  natural  food, 
whereby  the  natural  life  is  nourished,  except  he  be  born  and 
live  before ;  so  no  man  can  feed  (by  the  receipt  of  the  holy 
sacrament)  of  the  food  of  eternal  life,  except  he  be  regene 
rated  and  born  of  God  before :  and  on  the  other  side,  no 
man  here  receiveth  damnation,  which  is  not  dead  before. 

Thus  hitherto,  without  all  doubt,  God  is  my  witness,  1 
say,  so  far  as  I  know,  there  is  no  controversy  among  them 
that  be  learned  among  the  church  of  England,  concerning 
the  matter  of  this  sacrament,  but  all  do  agree,  whether 
they  be  new  or  old;  and  to  speak  plain,  and  as  some  of 
them  do  odiously  call  each  other,  whether  they  be  Pro 
testants,  Pharisees,  Papists,  or  Gospellers. 

And  as  all  do  agree  hitherto  in  the  aforesaid  doctrine, 
so  all  do  detest,  abhor,  and  condemn  the  wicked  heresy  of 
the  Messalians,  which  otherwise  be  called  Euchites,  which 
said,  that  the  holy  sacrament  can  neither  do  good  nor  harm  : 
and  do  also  condemn  those  wicked  Anabaptists,  which 
put  no  difference  between  the  Lord's  table  and  the  Lord's 
meat,  and  their  own.  And  because  charity  would,  that  we 
should  (if  it  be  possible,  and  so  far  as  we  may  with  the 
safeguard  of  good  conscience,  and  maintenance  of  the  truth) 


10  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

agree  with  all  men;  therefore,  methinks,  it  is  not  charitably 

done,  to  burden  any  man  (either  new  or  old,  as  they  call 

them)  further,   than  such  do  declare   themselves   to   dissent 

from  what  we  are  persuaded  to  be  the  truth,  and  pretend 

thereto  to  be  controversies,  whereas  none  such  are  in  deed ; 

charity  win  and  so  to  multiply  the  debate,  the  which,  the  more  it  doth 

man.          increase,  the  further  it  doth  depart  from  the  unity  that  the 

true  Christian  should  desire. 

And  again,  this  is  true  that  the  truth  neither  needeth, 
nor  will  be  maintained  with  lies.  It  is  also  a  true  common 
what  it  is  proverb,  "  that  it  is  even  sin  to  lie  upon  the  devil :  for 
though  by  thy  lie  thou  dost  never  so  much  speak  against 
the  devil,  yet  in  that  thou  liest,  indeed  thou  workest  the 
devil's  work;  thou  dost  him  service,  and  takest  the  devil's 
part." 

do  bSie  the  Now,  whether  then  do  they  godly  and  charitably,  which 
PJ|a^ers  of  either  by  their  pen  in  writing,  or  by  their  words  in  preach 
ing,  do  bear  the  simple  people  in  hand,  that  those  which 
thus  do  teach  and  believe,  do  go  about  to  make  the  holy 
sacrament,  ordained  by  Christ  himself,  a  thing  no  better 
than  a  piece  of  common  baken  bread?  or  that  do  say,  that 
such  do  make  the  holy  sacrament  of  the  blessed  body  and 
blood  of  Christ  nothing  else,  but  a  bare  sign,  or  a  figure,  to 
represent  Christ,  none  otherwise  than  the  ivy-bush  doth 
represent  the  wine  in  a  tavern;  or  as  a  vile  person  gor 
geously  apparelled  may  represent  a  king  or  a  prince  in  a 
play :  alas  !  let  men  leave  lying  and  speak  the  truth  every 
one,  not  only  to  his  neighbour,  but  also  of  his  neighbour, 
.  for  we  are  members  one  of  another,  saith  St  Paul. 

The  controversy  (no  doubt),  which  at  this  day  troubleth 
the  church  (wherein  any  mean1  learned  man,  either  old  or 
new,  doth  stand  in2),  is  not,  whether  the  holy  sacrament  of 
the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  no  better  than  a  piece  of 
common  bread,  or  no ;  or  whether  the  Lord's  table  is  no 
more  to  be  regarded  than  the  table  of  any  earthly  man;  or 
whether  it  is  but  a  bare  sign  or  figure  of  Christ,  and  nothing 
else,  or  no.  For  all  do  grant,  that  St  Paul's  words  do 
require  that  the  bread  which  we  break  is  the  partaking  of 

[*  Moderately  learned.    ED.] 

|~2  Doth  stand  in— doth  agree.    En.~| 


OF    THE    LORD^S    STJPPRR.  11 

the  body  of  Christ:  and  all  also  do  grant  him,  that  eateth 
of  that  bread  or  drinketh  of  that  cup  unworthily,  to  be 
guilty  of  the  Lord's  death,  and  to  eat  and  drink  his  own 
damnation,  because  he  esteemeth  not  the  Lord's  body.  All 
do  grant  that  these  words  of  St  Paul  (when  he  saith,  "  If  * Cor- viii- 
we  eat,  it  advantageth  us  nothing;"  or,  "if  we  eat  not,  we 
want  nothing  thereby")  are  not  spoken  of  the  Lord's  table, 
but  of  other  common  meats. 

Thus  then  hitherto   yet  we  all  agree.     But  now  let   us  wherein  the 
see  wherein  the  dissension  doth  stand.     The  understanding  SnsSteth.y 
of  that  wherein  it   chiefly  standeth  is  a   step  to  the   true 
searching   forth   of  the   truth.      For   who   can   seek   well   a 
remedy,  if  he  know  not  before  the  disease  I 

It  is  neither  to  be  denied  nor  dissembled,  that  in  the 
matter  of  this  sacrament  there  be  divers  points,  wherein  men 
counted  to  be  learned  cannot  agree  :  as,  Whether  there  be 
any  transubstantiation  of  the  bread,  or  no?  Any  corporal 
and  carnal  presence  of  Christ's  substance,  or  no?  Whether 
adoration,  only  due  unto  God,  is  to  be  done  unto  the  sacra 
ment,  or  no?  And  whether  Christ's  body  be  there  offered 
in  deed  unto  the  heavenly  Father  by  the  priest,  or  no?  Or 
whether  the  evil  man  receiveth  the  natural  body  of  Christ, 
or  no  ?  Yet  nevertheless,  as  in  a  man  diseased  in  divers 
parts,  commonly  the  original  cause  of  such  divers  diseases, 
which  is  spread  abroad  in  the  body,  doth  come  from  one 
chief  member,  as  from  the  stomach,  or  from  the  head ;  even 
so,  all  five  aforesaid  points  do  chiefly  hang  upon  this  one 
question,  which  is,  What  is  the  matter  of  the  sacrament, 
whether  it  is  the  natural  substance  of  bread,  or  the  natural 
substance  of  Christ's  own  body  ?  The  truth  of  this  question, 
truly  tried  out  and  agreed  upon,  no  doubt  will  cease  the 
controversy  in  all  the  rest.  For  if  it  be  Christ's  own 
natural  body,  born  of  the  Virgin;  then  assuredly  (seeing 
that  all  learned  men  in  England,  so  far  as  I  know,  both 
new  and  old,  grant  there  to  be  but  one  substance),  then, 
I  say,  they  must  needs  grant  transubstantiation,  that  is,  a 
change  of  the  substance  of  bread  into  the  substance  of 
Christ's  body:  then  also  they  must  grant  the  carnal  and 
corporal  presence  of  Christ's  body :  then  must  the  sacrament 
be  adored  with  the  honour  due  unto  Christ  himself,  for  the 


12  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

unity  of  the  two  natures  in  one  person :  then,  if  the  priest 
do  offer  the  sacrament,  he  doth  offer  indeed  Christ  himself; 
and  finally,  the  murderer,  the  adulterer,  or  wicked  man, 
receiving  the  sacrament,  must  needs  then  receive  also  the 
natural  substance  of  Christ's  own  blessed  body,  both  flesh 
and  blood. 

Now,  on  the  other  side,  if,  after  the  truth  shall  be  truly 
tried  out,  it  be  found  that  the  substance  of  bread  is  the 
material  substance  of  the  sacrament ;  although,  for  the  change 
of  the  use,  office,  and  dignity  of  the  bread,  the  bread  indeed 
sacramentally  is  changed  into  the  body  of  Christ,  as  the  water 
in  baptism  is  sacramentally  changed  into  the  fountain  of  re 
generation,  and  yet  the  material  substance  thereof  remaineth 
all  one,  as  was  before;  if  (I  say)  the  true  solution  of  that 
former  question,  whereupon  all  these  controversies  do  hang, 
be,  that  the  natural  substance  of  bread  is  the  material  sub 
stance  in  the  sacrament  of  Christ 's  blessed  body;  then  must 
it  follow  of  the  former  proposition,  (confessed  of  all  that  be 
named  to  be  learned,  so  far  as  I  do  know  in  England,) 
which  is,  that  there  is  but  one  material  substance  in  the 
sacrament  of  the  body,  and  one  only  likewise  in  the  sacra 
ment  of  the  blood,  that  there  is  no  such  thing  indeed  and 
in  truth  as  they  call  transubstantiation,  for  the  substance  of 
bread  remaineth  still  in  the  sacrament  of  the  body.  Then 
also  the  natural  substance  of  Christ's  human  nature,  which 
he  took  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  is  in  heaven,  where  it  reigneth 
now  in  glory,  and  not  here  inclosed  under  the  form  of  bread. 
Then  that  godly  honour,  which  is  only  due  unto  God  the 
Creator,  may  not  be  done  unto  the  creature  without  idolatry 
and  sacrilege,  is  not  to  be  done  unto  the  holy  sacrament. 
Then  also  the  wicked,  I  mean  the  impenitent,  murderer, 
adulterer,  or  such-like,  do  not  receive  the  natural  substance 
of  the  blessed  body  and  blood  of  Christ.  Finally,  then  doth 
it  follow,  that  Christ's  blessed  body  and  blood,  which  was 
once  only  offered  and  shed  upon  the  cross,  being  available 
for  the  sins  of  all  the  whole  world,  is  offered  up  no  more 
in  the  natural  substance  thereof,  neither  by  the  priest,  nor 
any  other  thing. 

But  here,   before   we  go   any  further  to  search  in  this 
matter,  and  to  wade,  as  it  were,  to  search  and  try  out,  as 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  13 

We  may,  the  truth  hereof  in  the  Scripture,  it  shall  do  well 
by  the  way  to  know,  whether  they,  that  thus  make  answer 
and  solution  unto  the  former  principal  question,  do  take 
away  simply  and  absolutely  the  presence  of  Christ's  body 
and  blood  from  the  sacrament,  ordained  by  Christ,  and  duly 
ministered  according  to  his  holy  ordinance  and  institution  of 
the  same.  Undoubtedly,  they  do  deny  that  utterly,  either  so 
to  say,  or  so  to  mean.  Hereof  if  a  man  do  or  will  doubt, 
the  books,  which  are  written  already  in  this  matter  of  them 
that  thus  do  answer,  will  make  the  matter  plain. 

Now  then  you  will  say,  what  kind  of  presence  do  they  What  kind, 
grant,  and  what  do  they  deny  ?     Briefly,  they  deny  the  pre-  isr*j£*  jn 
sence  of  Christ's  body  in  the  natural  substance  of  his  human  *he  Lor(1's 

»  Supper. 

and  assumed  nature,  and  grant  the  presence  of  the  same  by 
grace :    that  is,  they  affirm  and  say,  that  the  substance  of 
the  natural  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  only  remaining  in  Matt-  "fr- 
heaven,  and  so  shall  be  unto  the  latter  day,  when  he  shall 
come  again  in  glory,  accompanied  with  the  angels  of  heaven, 
to  judge  both  the  quick  and  the  dead.     And  the  same  na 
tural  substance  of  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  be 
cause  it  is  united  in  the  divine  nature  in  Christ,  the  second 
Person   of  the   Trinity,    therefore  it  hath  not  only  life   in  John  vi. 
itself,  but  is  also  able  to  give,  and  doth  give  life  unto  so 
many  as  be,  or  shall  be  partakers  thereof:  That  is,  that  to 
all  that  do  believe  on  his  name,  which  are  not  born  of  blood, 
as   St  John  saith,   or  of  the   will  of  the  flesh,   or  of  the  John  i. 
will  of  man,   but  are   born  of   God — though  the   self-same 
substance  abide  still  in  heaven,   and  they,   for  the  time  of 
their  pilgrimage,  dwell  here  upon  earth;    by  grace  (I  say), 
that  is,  by  the  gift  of  this  life  (mentioned  in  John)  and  the  John  vi. 
properties  of  the  same  meet  for  our  pilgrimage  here  upon 
earth,  the  same  body  of  Christ  is  here  present  with  us.     Even 
as,  for  example,  we  say  the  same  sun,  which,  in  substance, 
never  removeth  his  place  out  of  the  heavens,  is  yet  present 
here  by  his  beams,   light,   and  natural  influence,   where  it 
shineth  upon  the  earth.     For  God's  word  and  his  sacraments 
be,  as  it  were,  the  beams  of  Christ,  which  is  Sol  justitice,  Mai.  iv. 
the  Sun  of  righteousness. 

Thus  hast  thou  heard,  of  what  sort  or  sect  soever  thou 
be,  wherein  doth  stand  the  principal  state  and  chief  point  of 


A     BRIEF    DECLARATION 


all  the  controversies,  which  do  properly  pertain  unto  the 
nature  of  this  sacrament.  As  for  the  use  thereof,  I  grant, 
there  be  many  other  things  whereof  here  I  have  spoken 
nothing  at  all.  And  now,  lest  thou  mayest  justly  complain 
and  say,  that  I  have,  in  opening  of  this  matter,  done  no 
thing  else  but  digged  a  pit,  and  have  not  shut  it  up  again; 
or  broken  a  gap,  and  have  not  made  it  up  again  ;  or  opened 
the  book,  and  have  not  closed  it  again  ;  or  else,  to  call  me 
what  thou  listest,  as  neutral  dissembler,  or  whatsoever  else 
thy  lust  and  learning  shall  serve  thee  to  name  me  worse;  — 
therefore  here  now  I  will,  by  God's  grace,  not  only 
shortly,  but  also  clearly  and  plainly  as  I  can,  make  thee 
to  know,  whether  of  the  aforesaid  two  answers  to  the  for 
mer  principal  state  and  chief  point  doth  like  me  best.  Yea, 
and  also  I  will  hold  all  those  accursed,  which  in  this  matter, 
that  now  so  troubleth  the  church  of  Christ,  have  of  God 
received  the  key  of  knowledge,  and  yet  go  about  to  shut  up 
the  doors,  so  that  they  themselves  will  not  enter  in,  nor 
suffer  other  that  would.  And,  for  mine  own  part.  I  con 
sider,  both  of  late  what  charge  and  cure  of  souls  hath  been 
committed  unto  me,  whereof  God  knoweth  how  soon  I  shall 
be  called  to  give  account,  and  also  now  in  this  world  what 
peril  and  danger  of  the  laws  (concerning  my  life)  I  am  now 
in  at  this  present  time:  what  folly  were  it  then  for  me 
now  to  dissemble  with  God,  of  whom  assuredly  I  look  and 
hope  by  Christ  to  have  everlasting  life  !  Seeing  that  such 
charge  and  danger  (both  before  God  and  man)  do  compass 
me  in  round  about  on  every  side  ;  therefore  (God  willing) 
I  will  frankly  and  freely  utter  my  mind  ;  and  though  my  body 
be  captive,  yet  my  tongue  and  my  pen,  as  long  as  I  may, 
shall  freely  set  forth  that  which  undoubtedly  I  am  persuaded 
to  be  the  truth  of  God's  word.  And  yet  I  will  do  it  under 
this  protestation,  call  me  a  Protestant  who  listeth,  I  pass 
not  thereof1.  My  protestation  shall  be  thus  :  that  my  mind 
is  and  ever  shall  be,  (God  willing),  to  set  forth  sincerely  the 
true  sense  and  meaning  (to  the  best  of  my  understanding) 
of  God's  most  holy  word,  and  not  to  decline  from  the  same, 
either  for  fear  of  worldly  danger,  or  else  for  hope  of  gain. 
I  do  protest  also  due  obedience  and  submission  of  my 
f1  I  pass  not  thereof.  I  care  not  for  it.  ED.] 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPEK.  15 

judgment  in  this  my  writing,  and  in  all  other  mine  affairs, 
unto  those  of  Christ's  Church,  which  be  truly  learned  in 
God's  holy  word,  gathered  in  Christ's  name,  and  guided  by 
his  Spirit.  After  this  protestation,  I  do  plainly  affirm  and 
say,  that  the  second  answer ',  made  unto  the  chief2  question 
and  principal  point,  I  am  persuaded  to  be  the  very  true 
meaning  and  sense  of  God's  holy  word ;  that  is,  that  the  ^nesJJ£,J° 
natural  substance  of  bread  and  wine  is  the  true  material  question, 
substance  of  the  holy  sacrament  of  the  blessed  body  and 
blood  of  our  Saviour  Christ :  and  the  places  of  Scripture 
whereupon  this  my  faith  is  grounded,  be  these,  both  con 
cerning  the  sacrament  of  the  body,  and  also  of  the  blood. 

First,  let  us  repeat  the  beginning  of  the  institution  of 
the  Lord's  supper,  wherein  all  the  three  Evangelists  and 
St  Paul  almost  in  words  do  agree ;  saying,  that  "  Jesus  Christ  call- 
took  bread,  gave  thanks,  brake,  and  gave  to  the  disciples,  bread  his 
saying,  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body."  Here  it  appeareth 
plainly,  that  Christ  calleth  very  bread  his  body.  For  that 
which  he  took  was  very  bread  (in  this  all  men  do  agree); 
and  that  which  he  took,  after  he  had  given  thanks,  he  brake ; 
and  that  which  he  took  and  brake,  he  gave  it  to  his  dis 
ciples;  and  that  which  he  took,  brake,  and  gave  to  his 
disciples,  he  said  himself  of  it :  "  This  is  my  body."  So  it 
appeareth  plainly  that  Christ  called  very  bread  his  body. 
But  very  bread  cannot  be  his  body  in  very  substance  thereof. 
Therefore  it  must  needs  have  another  meaning,  which  mean 
ing  appeareth  plainly,  what  it  is,  by  the  next  sentence  that 
folio weth  immediately,  both  in  Luke  and  in  Paul. 

And  that  is  this :    "  Do   this  in   remembrance  of  me."  Argument. 
Whereupon  it  seemeth  to  me  to  be  evident,  that  Christ  did1Cor-xi- 
take  bread,  and  called  it  his  body,  for  that  he  would  thereby 
institute  a  perpetual  remembrance  of  his  body,  specially  of 
that   singular   benefit   of   our    redemption,    which    he   would 
then  procure  and  purchase  unto   us  by  his  body  upon   the 
cross.     But  bread,  retaining  still  its  own  very  natural  sub 
stance,  may  be  thus  by  grace,  and  in  a  sacramental  signifi 
cation,   his   body :    whereas   else   the    very   bread,   which   he 
took,  brake,  and  gave  them,  could  not  be  in  any  wise  his 

[2  The  words  in  Italics  are  wanting  in  the  editions  subsequent  to 
1556.    ED.] 


16  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

natural  body,  for  that  were  confusion  of  substances.  And 
therefore  the  very  words  of  Christ,  joined  with  the  next 
sentence  following,  both  enforce  us  to  confess  the  very  bread 
to  remain  still,  and  also  open  unto  us,  how  that  bread  may 
be,  and  is  thus,  by  his  divine  power,  his  body  which  was 
given  for  us. 

objection.  But  here  I  remember,  I  have  read  in  some  writers  of 
the  contrary  opinion,  which  do  deny,  that  that,  which  Christ 
did  take,  he  brake.  For,  say  they,  after  his  taking,  he 

Mark  xiv.  blessed  it,  as  Mark  doth  speak ;  and  by  his  blessing  he 
changed  the  natural  substance  of  the  bread  into  the  natural 
substance  of  his  body:  and  so,  although  he  took  the  bread 
and  blessed  it,  yet  because  in  blessing  he  changed  the  sub 
stance  of  it,  he  brake  not  the  bread,  which  then  was  not 
there,  but  only  the  form  thereof. 

Answer.  Unto  this  objection  I  have  two  plain  answers,  both 

grounded  upon  God's  word.  The  one  I  will  rehearse ;  the 
other  answer  I  will  defer,  until  I  speak  of  the  sacrament  of 
the  blood.  Mine  answer  here  is  taken  out  of  the  plain 
words  of  St  Paul,  which  doth  manifestly  confound  this  fan 
tastical  invention,  first  invented,  I  ween,  of  Pope  Innocentius1, 

it  is  meant  and  after  confirmed  by  that  subtle  sophister  Duns,  and  lately 

of  a  book  .  i  •  i  i 

nrst  set       renewed  now  m  our   days  with  an   eloquent   style  and  much 

forth  under  J  .  J 

the  name  of  fineness  of  wit.     But  what  can  crafty  invention,  subtilty  m 

Marcus  .  .  . 

Antonius     sophisms,   eloquence   or  fineness  of  wit,   prevail  against  the 
tins,  and     unfallible  word  of  God  2     What  need  have  we  to  strive  and 

afterward  of 

Stephen^  contend  what  thing  we  break?  For  Paul  saith,  speaking 
undoubtedly  of  the  Lord's  table :  "  The  bread,  saith  he, 
which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  partaking  or  fellowship  of  the 
Lord's  body?"  Whereupon  followeth,  that  after  the  thanks 
giving  it  is  bread  which  we  break.  And  how  often,  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  is  the  Lord's  supper  signified  by 

Acts  ii.  breaking  of  bread  2  "  They  did  persevere,"  saith  St  Luke, 
"in  the  Apostles'  doctrine,  communion,  and  breaking  of  bread." 

ibidem.       And,  "They  brake  bread   in  every  house."     And  again,  in 

Acts xx.  another  place,  "When  they  were  come  together  to  break 
bread,  &c."  St  Paul,  which  setteth  forth  the  most  fully  in 
his  writings  both  the  doctrine  and  the  right  use  of  the 

[*  Innocent  III.,  in  the  fourth  Lateran  Council,  held  A.D.  1215.  ED.] 


OF    THE    LORD'S    3UPPER.  17 

Lord's  supper,  and  the  sacramental  eating  and  drinking  oi'icor.x. 
Christ's  body  and  blood,  calleth  it  five  times,  "  bread,"  1  Cor.  xi. 
"bread,"  "bread,"  "bread,"  "bread." 

The  sacramental  bread  is  the  mystical  body :    and  so   it 
is   called   in   Scripture,  as   it   is   called  the  natural  body  of  1  cor.  x. 
Christ.      But  Christ's  mystical  body  is  the  congregation  of  Jjjj^econd 
Christians.     Now  no  man  was  ever  so  fond,  as  to  say,  that 
that    sacramental    bread    is    transubstantiated    and    changed  1  cor.  x. 
into    the    substance    of    the    congregation.      Wherefore    no 
man  should  likewise  think  or  say,  that  the  bread  is  transub 
stantiated  and  changed  into  the  natural  substance  of  Christ's 
human  nature. 

But  my  mind  is  not  here  to  write  what  may  be  gathered 
out  of  Scriptures  for  this  purpose,  but  only  to  note  here 
briefly  those  which  seem  unto  me  to  be  the  most  plain 
places.  Therefore,  contented  to  have  spoken  thus  much  of 
the  sacramental  bread,  I  will  now  speak  a  little  of  the 
Lord's  cup. 

And   this  shall   be   my  third  argument,   grounded   upon  The  third 
Christ's    own   words.     The   natural   substance   of  the   sacra- ' 
mental  wine   remaineth   still,  and  is  the  material   substance 
of   the   sacrament   of  the   blood   of  Christ :    therefore   it   is 
likewise  so  in  the  sacramental  bread. 

I  know,  that  he  that  is  of  a  contrary  opinion,  will  deny 
the  former  part  of  my  argument :  but  I  will  prove  it  thus, 
by  the  plain  words  of  Christ  himself,  both  in  Matthew  and  Matt.  xxvi 
in  Mark.  Christ's  words  are  these,  after  the  words  said  Mark  xiv. 
upon  the  cup2:  "I  say  unto  you  (saith  Christ),  I  will  not 
drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit  of  the  vine-tree,  until  I  shall 
drink  that  new  in  my  Father's  kingdom."  Here  note,  how 
Christ  calleth  plainly  his  cup  the  fruit  of  the  vine-tree.  But 
the  fruit  of  the  vine-tree  is  very  natural  wine.  Wherefore  the 
natural  substance  of  the  wine  doth  remain  still  in  the  sacra 
ment  of  Christ's  blood. 

And  here,  in  speaking  of  the  Lord's  cup,  it  cometh 
unto  my  remembrance  the  vanity  of  Innocentius  his  fantas 
tical  invention,  which  by  Paul's  words  I  did  confute  before, 

£2  Aeyto  oe  i>/.ui/  on  ov  /ji>/  TTUO  air  apTi  ex  TOUTOV  TOV  <yei/i/»7- 
/iaro<?  TJ/S  a/X7reAou  ew?  Ttjs  ^e'joas  CK€ii*f«  orav  CIVTO  THI/CO  pe& 
vptt*  Kaivov  ev  rtj  fiaaiXeia  TOV  trctTpos  pov.  Matth.  xxvi.  29.] 

2 
[RIDLEY.] 


18  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

and  here  did  promise  somewhat  more  to  speak;  and  that  is 
this :  If  the  transubstantiation  be  made  by  this  word  "  blessed" 
in  Mark,  said  upon  the  bread,  as  Innocentius,  that  Pope, 
did  say;  then  surely,  seeing  that  word  is  not  said  of  Christ, 
neither  of  any  of  the  Evangelists,  nor  in  St  Paul,  upon 
the  cup,  there  is  no  transubstantiation  of  the  wine  at  all. 
For  where  the  cause  doth  fail,  there  cannot  follow  the 
effect.  But  the  sacramental  bread,  and  the  sacramental 
wine,  do  both  remain  in  their  natural  substance  alike;  and 
if  the  one  be  not  changed,  as  of  the  sacramental  wine  it 
appeareth  evidently,  then  there  is  not  any  such  transub 
stantiation  in  neither  of  them  both. 

All,  that  put  and  affirm  this  change  of  the  substance  of 
bread  and  wine  into  the  substance  of  Christ's  body  and  blood 
(called  transubstantiation),  do  also  say  and  affirm  this  change 
to  be  made  by  a  certain  form  of  prescript  words,  and  none 
other.  But  what1  they  be  that  make  the  change  either  of 
the  one  or  of  the  other,  undoubtedly  even  they,  that  do 
write  most  finely  in  these  our  days,  almost  confess  plainly 
that  they  cannot  tell.  For  although  they  grant  to  certain 
of  the  old  doctors,  as  Chrysostom  and  Ambrose,  that  these 
Winchester  words,  "  This  is  my  body,"  are  the  words  of  consecration  of 

in  the  an-  *  J  • 

swerjothe  the  sacrament  of  the  body:    "yet,"  say  they,  " these  words 

tion-  may  well   be   so   called,  because   they  do   assure  us   of  the 

consecration  thereof,  whether  it  be  done  before  these  words 

be  spoken,  or  no."     But,  as  for  this  their  doubt  (concerning 

the  sacrament  of  the  body),  I  let  it  pass. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  words  which  pertain  to  the  cup. 

This  is  first  evident:   that,  as  Matthew  much  agreeth  with 

Mark,  and  likewise   Luke  with  Paul   much   agreeth,  herein 

in  the  form  of  words ;  so,  in  the  same,  the  form  of  words  in 

Matthew  and  Mark  is  diverse  from  that  which  is  in  Luke 

and  Paul.     The  old  authors  do  most  rehearse  the  form  of 

words  in  Matthew  and  Mark,  because,  I  ween,  they  seemed 

with  what    to  them  most  clear.     But  here  I  would  know,  whether  it  is 

popish         credible  or  no,  that   Luke  and  Paul,  when  they  celebrated 

priesthood  t  .  .  J 

is  given.      the  Lord's  supper  with  their  congregations,  did  not  use  the 
same  form  of  words  at  the   Lord's  table,  which  they  wrote, 
Luke  in  his   Gospel,   and   Paul   in   his   Epistle.     Of  Luke, 
f1  But  which  be  the  words.     ED.] 


OP  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  19 

because  he  \vas  a  physician,  whether  some  will  grant  that 
he  might  be  a  priest  or  no,  and  was  able  to  receive  the 
order  of  priesthood,  which  (they  say)  is  given  by  virtue  of 
these  words  said  by  the  Bishop,  "Take  thou  authority  to  Peter  and 
sacrifice  for  the  quick  and  the  dead,"  I  cannot  tell.  But,  no  priests 
if  they  should  be  so  strait  upon  Luke,  either  for  his  craft,  pish  order. 
or  else  for  lack  of  such  power  given  him  by  virtue  of  the 
aforesaid  words:  then,  I  ween,  both  Peter  and  Paul  are  in 
danger  to  be  deposed  of  their  priesthood ;  for  the  craft  either 
of  fishing,  which  was  Peter's,  or  making  of  tents,  which  was 
Paul's,  were  more  vile  than  the  science  of  physic.  And,  as  ]  /  < 
for  those  sacramental  words  of  the  order  of  priesthood,  to 
have  authority  to  sacrifice  both  for  the  quick  and  the  dead, 
I  ween,  Peter  and  Paul  (if  they  were  both  alive)  were  not 
able  to  prove,  that  ever  Christ  gave  them  such  authority,  or 
ever  said  any  such  words  unto  them.  But  I  will  let  Luke 
go:  and,  because  Paul  speaketh  more  for  himself,  I  will  re 
hearse  his  words.  "That  (saith  Paul)  which  I  received  of1Cor-xi- 
the  Lord,  I  gave  unto  you :  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  &c. :"  and 
so  setteth  forth  the  whole  institution  and  right  use  of  the 
Lord's  supper.  Now,  seeing  that  Paul  here  saith;  that, 
which  he  received  of  the  Lord,  he  had  given  them ;  and 
that,  which  he  had  received  and  given  them  before  by  word 
of  mouth,  now  he  rehearseth  and  writeth  the  same  in  his 
Epistle :  is  it  credible  that  Paul  would  never  use  this  form 
of  words  upon  the  Lord's  cup,  which  (as  he  saith)  he 
received  of  the  Lord,  that  he  had  given  them  before,  and 
now  rehearseth  in  his  Epistle?  I  trust,  no  man  is  so  far 
from  all  reason,  but  he  will  grant  me  that  this  is  not  likely 
to  be. 

Now  then,  if  you  grant  me  that  Paul  did  use  the  form 
of  words  which  he  writeth,  let  us  then  rehearse  and  con 
sider  Paul's  words,  which  he  saith  Christ  spake  thus  upon 
the  cup:  "This  cup  is  the  New  Testament  in  my  blood; 
this  do  as  often  as  ye  shall  drink  it  in  the  remembrance  of 
me.1' 

Here  I  would  know,  whether  that  Christ's  words,  spoken 
upon  the  cup,  were  not  as  mighty  in  work,  and  as  effectual 
in  signification,  to  all  intents,  constructions,  and  purposes 
(as  our  Parliament  men  do  speak),  as  they  were,  spoken  upon 


20  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 


the  bread?  If  this  be  granted,  which  thing,  I  think,  no 
man  can  deny,  then  further  I  reason  thus :  but  the  word 
"is"  in  the  words  spoken  upon  the  Lord's  bread,  doth 
mightily  signify  (they  say)  the  change  of  the  substance  of 
that  which  goeth  before  it,  into  the  substance  of  that  which 
followeth  after ;  that  is,  of  the  substance  of  Christ's  body, 
when  Christ  saith,  This  is  my  body.  Now  then,  if  Christ's 
words,  which  be  spoken  upon  the  cup,  which  Paul  here  re- 
hearseth,  be  of  the  same  might  and  power  both  in  working 
and  signifying ;  then  must  this  word  "  is,"  when  Christ  saith, 
"This  cup  is  the  New  Testament,  &c."  turn  the  substance 
of  the  cup  into  the  substance  of  the  New  Testament.  And, 
if  thou  wilt  say,  that  this  word  "is"  neither  maketh  nor 
signifieth  any  such  change  of  the  cup,  although  it  be  said 
of  Christ,  that  this  cup  is  the  New  Testament,  yet  Christ 
meant  no  such  change  as  that ;  marry,  Sir,  even  so  say  I, 
when  Christ  said  of  the  bread  which  he  took,  and  after 
thanks  given,  brake,  and  gave  them,  saying,  "  Take,  eat, 
this  is  my  body;"  he  meant  no  more  any  such  change  of 
the  substance  of  bread  into  the  substance  of  his  natural  body, 
than  he  meant  of  the  change  and  transubstantiation  of  the 
cup  into  the  substance  of1  the  New  Testament. 

And,  if  thou  wilt  say,  that  the  word  ("cup")  here  in 
Christ's  words  doth  not  signify  the  cup  itself,  but  the  wine, 
or  thing  contained  in  the  cup,  by  a  figure  called  metonymy, 
for  that  Christ's  words  meant,  and  so  must  needs  be  taken; 
thou  sayest  very  well.  But,  I  pray  thee  by  the  way,  here 
Twoneces-  note  two  things:  first,  that  this  word  ("is")  hath  no  such 

sary  notes.  \  ' 

strength  and  signification  in  the  Lord's  words,  to  make  or  to 
signify  any  transubstantiation :  secondly,  that,  in  the  Lord's 
words,  whereby  he  instituted  the  sacrament  of  his  blood,  he 
used  a  figurative  speech.  How  vain  then  is  it,  that  some 
so  earnestly  do  say,  as  if  it  were  an  infallible  rule,  that  in 
doctrine  and  in  the  institution  of  the  sacraments  Christ  used 
no  figures,  but  all  his  words  are  to  be  strained  to  their 
proper  signification;  when  as  here,  whatsoever  thou  sayest 
was  in  the  cup,  neither  that,  nor  the  cup  itself  (taking  every 
word  in  its  proper  signification),  wras  the  New  Testament: 

[]  These  words  are  found  in  the  edition  of  1556,  but  not  in  those 
subsequent.    ED.] 


OF    THE    LORD  S    SUPPER. 


21 


but  in  understanding  that,  which  was  in  the  cup,  by  the 
cup,  that  is  a  figurative  speech.  Yea,  and  also  thou  canst 
not  verify,  or  truly  say  of  that  (whether  thou  sayest  it  was  JJJJJ  con- 
wine  or  Christ's  blood)  to  be  the  New  Testament,  without 
a  figure  also.  Thus,  in  one  sentence  spoken  of  Christ  in 
the  institution  of  the  sacrament  of  his  blood,  the  figure  must 
help  us  twice :  so  untrue  is  it  that  some  do  write ;  that  Christ 
useth  no  figure,  in  the  doctrine  of  faith,  nor  in  the  institu 
tion  of  his  sacraments. 

But  some  say:  if  we  shall  thus  admit  figures  in  doctrine; 
then  shall  all  the  articles  of  our  faith,  by  figures  and  allegories, 
shortly  be  transformed  and  unloosed.  I  say,  it  is  like  fault, 
and  even  the  same,  to  deny  the  figure  where  the  place  so  re- 
quireth  to  be  understood,  as  vainly  to  make  it  a  figurative 
speech,  which  is  to  be  understood  in  its  proper  signification. 

The  rules,  whereby  the  speech  is  known,  when  it  is  a 
figurative,  and  when  it  is  not,  St  Augustine,  in  his  book 
called  De  Doctrina  Christiana,  giveth  divers  learned  lessons,  Qmsti 
very  necessary  to  be  known  of  the  student  in  God's  word.  llb-m-c- 16- 
Of  the  winch  one  I  will  rehearse,  which  is  this :  "  If2""  (saith 
he)  "the  Scripture  doth  seem  to  command  a  thing  which 
is  wicked  or  ungodly,  or  to  forbid  a  thing  that  charity  doth 
require;  then  know  thou  (saith  he)  that  the  speech  is  figur 
ative."  And,  for  example,  he  bringeth  the  saying  of  Christ 
in  the  6th  chapter  of  St  John :  "  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh 
of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  cannot  have 
life  in  you."  It  seemeth  to  command  a  wicked  or  an  un 
godly  thing.  Wherefore  it  is  a  figurative  speech,  commanding 
to  have  communion  and  fellowship  with  Christ's  passion,  and 
devoutly  and  wholesomely  to  lay  up  in  memory  that  his  flesh 
was  crucified  and  wounded  for  us." 

And  here  I  cannot  but  marvel  at  some  men,  surely  of 

much  excellent  fineness  of  wit,  and  of  great  eloquence,  that 

. 

£2  Si  autem  flagitium  aut  facinus  videter  jubere,  aut  utilitatcm  aut 
beneticentiam  vetarc,  figurata  cst.  "  Nisi  manducavcritis  (inquit)  carncm 
filii  hominis,  et  sanguinem  biberitis,  non  habebitis  vitam  in  vobis."  Faci 
nus  vel  flagitium  videtur  jubere:  figura  est  ergo,  pnecipiens,  passioni 
Dominicie  communicandum,  et  suaviter  atque  utiliter  recondendum 
in  memoria  quod  pro  nobis  caro  ejus  crucifixa  et  vulnerata  sit_ 
S.  Augustini  de  doctr.  Christ,  lib.  in.  c.  16.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par. 
vol.  ii.  col.  52.  En.] 


22  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

are  not  ashamed  to  write  and  say,  that  this  aforesaid  saying 
of  Christ  is  (after  St  Augustine)  a  figurative  speech  indeed, 
howbeit  not  unto  the  learned,  but  unto  the  unlearned.     Here 
^  any  man'  ^ia^  indifferently  understandeth  the  Latin  tongue, 
and226thst  reac*  ^ie  P^ace  *n  ^  Augustine  •"  and,  #  ne  perceive  not  clearly 
objection,     gfc  Augustine's  words  and  mind  to  be  contrary,  let  me  abide 
thereof  the  rebuke. 

This  lesson  of  St  Augustine  I  have  therefore  the  rather 
set  forth ;  because,  as  it  teacheth  us  to  understand  that  place 
in  John  figuratively,  even  so  surely  the  same  lesson  with  the 
example  of  St  Augustine's  exposition  thereof  teacheth  us,  not 
only  by  the  same  to  understand  Christ's  words  in  the  insti 
tution  of  the  sacrament,  both  of  his  body  and  of  his  blood, 
figuratively,  but  also  the  very  true  meaning  and  understanding 
of  the  same.  For  if  to  command  to  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son 
of  Man,  and  to  drink  his  blood,  seemeth  to  command  an 
inconvenience  and  an  ungodliness ;  and  is  even  so  indeed,  if 
it  be  understanded,  as  the  words  do  stand  in  their  proper  sig 
nification,  and  therefore  must  be  understanded  figuratively  and 
spiritually,  as  St  Augustine  doth  godly  and  learnedly  interpret 
them;  then  surely  Christ,  commanding  in  his  last  supper  to 
eat  his  body  and  to  drink  his  blood,  seemeth  to  command, 
in  sound  of  words,  as  great  and  even  the  same  inconvenience 
and  ungodliness,  as  did  his  words  in  the  6th  chapter  of  St 
John ;  and  therefore  must  even  by  the  same  reason  be  like 
wise  understanded  and  expounded  figuratively  and  spiritually,  as 
St  Augustine  did  the  other.  Whereunto  that  exposition  of 
St  Augustine  may  seem  to  be  the  more  meet,  for  that  Christ 
in  his  supper,  to  the  commandment  of  eating  and  drinking 
of  his  body  and  blood,  addeth :  "  Do  this  in  the  remembrance 
of  me."  Which  words,  surely,  were  the  key  that  opened  and 
revealed  this  spiritual  and  godly  exposition  unto  St  Augustine. 

But  I  have  tarried  longer  in  setting  forth  the  form  of 

Christ's  words  upon  the    Lord's   cup,  written  by  Paul  and 

Luke,  than  I  did  intend  to  do.     And  yet,  in  speaking  of  the 

form  of  Christ's  words  spoken  upon  his  cup,  cometh  now  to 

words  of  the  my  remembrance  the  form  of  words  used  in  the  Latin  mass 

'  upon  the  Lord's  cup.     Whereof  I  do  not  a  little  marvel,  what 

should  be  the  cause,  seeing  the  Latin  mass  agreeth  with  the 

Evangelists  and  Paul  in  the  form  of  words  said  upon  the 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  23 

bread,  why,  in  the  words  upon  the  Lord's  cup,  it  differeth 
from  them  all;  yea,  and  addeth  to  the  words  of  Christ, 
spoken  upon  the  cup,  these  words,  mysterium  fidei,  that  is, 
"the  mystery  of  faith;"  which  are  not  read  to  be  attributed 
unto  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  blood,  neither  in  the  Evan 
gelists,  nor  in  Paul,  nor  (so  far  as  1  know)  in  any  other 
place  of  holy  Scripture.  Yea,  and  if  it  may  have  some  good 
exposition,  yet,  why  it  should  not  be  as  well  added  unto  the 
words  of  Christ  upon  his  bread,  as  upon  his  cup,  surely  I  do 
not  see  that  mystery. 

And,  because  I  see  in  the  use  of  the  Latin  mass  the  ThUbuse 
sacrament  of  the  blood  abused,  when  it  is  denied  unto  the  ment  in  the 
lay  people,  clean  contrary  unto  God's  most  certain  word ;  for 
why,  I  do  beseech  thee,  should  the  sacrament  of  Christ's 
blood  be  denied  unto  the  lay  Christians,  more  than  to  the 
priest?  Did  not  Christ  shed  his  blood  as  well  for  the  lay 
godly  man  as  for  the  godly  priest?  If  thou  wilt  say,  Yes, 
that  he  did  so ;  but  yet  the  sacrament  of  the  blood  is  not  to 
be  received  without  the  offering  up  and  sacrificing  thereof 
unto  God  the  Father,  both  for  the  quick  and  for  the  dead ; 
and  no  man  may  make  oblation  of  Christ's  blood  unto  God, 
but  a  priest,  and  therefore  the  priest  alone  (and  that  but  in 
his  mass  only)  may  receive  the  sacrament  of  the  blood :  and 
call  you  this,  my  masters,  mysterium  fidei? 

Alas !  alas !  I  fear  me,  this  is  before  God  mysterium 
iniquitatis,  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  such  as  Paul  speaketh  of 
in  his  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians.  The  Lord  be  merciful 2  Thesis,  n. 

1  Ps. Ixvn. 

unto  us,  and  bless  us,  and  lighten  his  countenance  upon  us, 
and  be  merciful  unto  us;  that  we  may  know  thy  way  upon 
earth,  and  among  all  people  thy  salvation. 

This  kind  of  oblation  standeth  upon  transubstantiation, 
its  german  cousin,  and  do  grow  both  upon  one  ground. 
The  Lord  weed  out  of  his  vineyard  shortly  (if  it  be  his  will 
and  pleasure)  that  bitter  root ! 

To  speak  of  this  oblation;  how  much  it  is  injurious  unto  The  mass 

•  sacrifice  m- 

Christ's  passion,  how  it  cannot  but  with  high  blasphemy,  and  |uriou^to 
heinous  arrogance,  and  intolerable  pride,  be  claimed  of  any  passion, 
man,  other  than  of  Christ  himself ;  how  much  and  how  plainly 
it  repugneth   unto  the   manifest  words,    the  true   sense  and 
meaning,  of  holy  Scripture  in  many  places,  especially  in  the 


-  A     BRIEF    DECLARATION 

Heb.ix.  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews;  the  matter  is  so  long,  and  others 
have  written  of  it  at  large,  that  my  mind  is  now  not  to 
entreat  thereof  any  further. 

For  only  in  this  my  scribbling  I  intended  to  search  out 
and  set  forth  by  the  Scriptures  (according  to  God's  gracious 
gift  of  my  poor  knowledge),  whether  the  true  sense  and 
meaning  of  Christ's  words  in  the  institution  of  his  holy 
supper  do  require  any  transubstantiation  (as  they  call  it), 
or  that  the  very  substance  of  bread  and  wine  do  remain 
still  in  the  Lord's  supper,  and  be  the  material  substance  of 
the  holy  sacrament  of  Christ  our  Saviour's  blessed  body  and 
SStnswer  Wood.  Yet  there  remaineth  one  vain  quiddity  of  Duns  in 
objection?  this  matter,  the  which,  because  some  that  write  now  do 
seem  to  like  it  so  well,  that  they  have  stripped  him  out  of 
Duns'  dusty  and  dark  terms,  and  pricked  him  and  painted 
him  in  fresh  colours  of  an  eloquent  style,  may  therefore 
deceive  the  more,  except  the  error  be  warily  eschewed. 

Duns  saith  in  these  words  of  Christ,  This  is  my  body,  "  This 
pronoun  demonstrative,  meaning  the  word  '  this,'  if  ye  will 
know  what  it  doth  shew  or  demonstrate,  whether  the  bread 
that  Christ  took  or  no,  he  answereth,  no ;  but  only  one 
thing  in  substance  it  pointeth,  whereof  the  nature  and  name 
it  doth  not  tell,  but  leaveth  that  to  be  determined  and  told 
by  that  which  followeth  the  word,  'is,'  that  is,  by  predica- 
tum,  as  the  logician  doth  speak:"  and  therefore  he  calleth 
this  pronoun  demonstrative  "this,"  indimduum  vagum,  that 
is,  a  wandering  proper  name,  whereby  we  may  point  out 
and  shew  any  one  thing  in  substance,  what  thing  soever 
it  be. 

That  this  imagination  is  vain  and  untruly  applied  unto 
those  words  of  Christ,  "  This  is  my  body,"  it  may  appear 
plainly  by  the  words  of  Luke  and  Paul,  said  upon  the  cup, 
conferred  with  the  form  of  words  spoken  upon  the  cup  in 
Matthew  and  Mark :  for  as  upon  the  bread  it  is  said  of  all, 
"  This  is  my  body ;"  so  of  Matthew  and  Mark  is  said  of 
the  cup,  "  This  is  my  blood."  Then,  if  in  the  words,  "  This 
is  my  body,"  the  word  ("this")  be,  as  Duns  calleth  it,  "a 
wandering  name,"  to  appoint  and  shew  forth  any  one  thing, 
whereof  the  name  and  nature  it  doth  not  tell;  so  must  it 
be  likewise  in  these  words  of  Matthew  and  Mark  upon  the 


OF    THE    LORD^    SUPPER.  25 

Lord's  cup,  "  This  is  my  blood."  But,  in  the  words  of 
Matthew  and  Mark,  it  signifieth  and  pointeth  out  the  same 
that  it  doth  in  the  Lord's  words  upon  the  cup  in  Luke  and 
Paul,  where  it  is  said,  "  This  cup  is  the  New  Testament  in 
my  blood,  &c."  Therefore,  in  Matthew  and  Mark,  the  pro 
noun  demonstrative  ("this")  doth  not  wander  to  point  out 
only  one  thing  in  substance,  not  shewing  what  it  is,  but 
telleth  plainly  what  it  is,  no  less  in  Matthew  and  Mark 
unto  the  eye,  than  is  done  in  Luke  and  Paul,  by  putting  too 
this  word  "cup"  both  unto  the  eye  and  unto  the  ear. 

For  taking  the  cup,  and  demonstrating  or  shewing  it 
unto  his  disciples  by  this  pronoun  demonstrative  "this," 
and  saying  unto  them,  "Drink  ye  all  of  this;"  it  was  then 
all  one  to  say,  "  This  is  my  blood,"  as  to  say,  "  This  cup 
is  my  blood,"  meaning  by  the  cup,  as  the  nature  of  the 
speech  doth  require,  the  thing  contained  in  the  cup.  So 
likewise,  without  all  doubt,  when  Christ  had  taken  bread, 
given  thanks,  and  broken  it,  and  giving  it  to  his  disciples, 
said,  "  Take ;"  and  so  demonstrating  and  shewing  that  bread 
which  he  had  in  his  hands1,  to  say  then,  "This  is  my  body," 
and  to  have  said,  "  This  bread  is  my  body."  As  it  were  all 
one,  if  a  man,  lacking  a  knife,  and  going  to  his  oysters,  would 
say  to  another,  whom  he  saw  to  have  two  knives,  "  Sir,  I  pray 
you  lend  me  the  one  of  your  knives ;"  were  it  not  now  all  one 
to  answer  him :  "  Sir,  hold,  I  will  lend  you  this  to  eat  your 
meat,  but  not  to  open  oysters  withal :"  and  "  Hold,  I  will  lend 
you  this  knife  to  eat  your  meat,  but  not  to  open  oysters  2" 

This  similitude  serveth  but  for  this  purpose,  to  declare 
the  nature  of  speech  withal :  whereas  the  thing  that  is  de 
monstrated  and  shewed,  is  evidently  perceived,  and  openly 
known  to  the  eye.  But,  0  good  Lord,  what  a  wonderful 
thing  is  it  to  see,  how  some  men  do  labour  to  teach,  what 
is  demonstrated  and  shewed  by  the  pronoun  demonstrative,  Gardiner  to 
•"this,"  in  Christ's  words,  when  he  saith :  "This  is  myjection. 
body;"  "this  is  my  blood:"  how  they  labour  (I  say)  to 
teach  what  that  "  this"  was  then  in  deed,  when  Christ  spake 
in  the  beginning  of  the  sentence  the  word  "this,"  before 
he  had  pronounced  the  rest  of  the  words  that  followed  in 
the  same  sentence;  so  that  their  doctrine  may  agree  with 
E1  Subaudi— it  is  all  one.  ED.] 


26  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

their  transubstantiation :  which  indeed  is  the  very  foundation 
wherein  all  their  erroneous  doctrine  doth  stand.     And  here 
the  transubstantiators   do   not   agree   among   themselves,  no 
more  than  they  do  in  the  words  which  wrought  the  transub 
stantiation,   when   Christ   did    first    institute    his    sacrament. 
iiT°Ep?st.us  Wherein  Innocentiusa,  a  Bishop  of  Kome,  of  the  latter  days, 
iih.v.  ep.     an(j  ]3uns  (as  was  noted  before),  do  attribute  the  work  unto 
the  word  benedixit,  "  he  blessed :"  but  the  rest  for  the  most 
The  papists  part  to  hoc   est  corpus  meum.    "this   is   mv  body/1     Duns, 

themselves    L  •  i      i  •  ,          , 

do  not  a-  therefore,  with  his  sect,  because  he  putteth  the  change  be 
fore,  must  needs  say,  that  "this,"  when  Christ  spake  it 
in  the  beginning  of  the  sentence,  was  indeed  Christ's  body. 
For  in  the  change  the  substance  of  bread  did  depart,  and 
the  change  was  new  done  in  "benedixit,"  saith  he,  that 
went  before.  And  therefore,  after  him  and  his,  that  "  this" 
was  then  indeed  Christ's  body,  though  the  word  did  not  then 
import  so  much,  but  only  one  thing  in  substance,  which 
substance,  after  Duns,  the  bread  being  gone,  must  needs  be 
the  substance  of  Christ's  body.  But  they,  that  put  their 
transubstantiation  to  be  wrought  by  these  words  of  Christ, 
"  This  is  my  body,"  and  do  say,  that,  when  the  whole  sen 
tence  was  finished,  then  this  change  was  perfected,  and  not 
before :  they  cannot  say,  but  yet  Christ's  "  this"  in  the 
beginning  of  the  sentence,  before  the  other  words  were  fully 
pronounced,  was  bread  indeed.  But  as  yet  the  change  was 
not  done,  and  so  long  the  bread  must  needs  remain :  and  so 
long,  with  the  universal  consent  of  all  transubstantiators,  the 
natural  substance  of  Christ's  body  cannot  come  ;  and,  there 
fore,  must  their  "this"  of  necessity  demonstrate  and  shew 
the  substance,  which  was  as  yet  in  the  pronouncing  of  the 
first  word  "this"  by  Christ,  but  bread.  But  how  can  they 
make  and  verify  Christ's  words  to  be  true,  demonstrating 
the  substance,  which,  in  the  demonstration,  is  but  bread,  and 
say  thereof,  "This  is  my  body,"  that  is,  as  they  say,  the 
natural  substance  of  Christ's  body;  except  they  would  say, 
that  the  verb  "is"  signifieth,  "is  made,"  or  "is  changed 
into?"  And  so  then,  if  the  same  verb  "is"  be  of  the  same 
effect  in  Christ's  words  spoken  upon  the  cup,  and  rehearsed 
by  Luke  and  Paul;  the  cup,  or  the  wine  in  the  cup,  must 
a  See  note  A.  at  the  end  of  the  volume. 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  27 

be  made   or  turned  into   the    New   Testament,   as  was   de 
clared  before. 

There  be  some  amonnr  the  transubstantiates,  which  walk  Winchester 

is  become 

so  wilily  and  so  warily  betwixt  these  two  aforesaid  opinions,  neutral. 
allowing  them  both,  and  holding  plainly  neither  of  them  both, 
that  methink  they  may  be  called  neutrals,  ambidexters,  or 
rather  such  as  can  shift  on  both  sides.  They  play  on  both 
parts :  for,  with  the  latter,  they  do  all  allow  the  doctrine  of 
the  last  syllable ;  which  is,  that*  transubstantiation  is  done 
by  miracle  in  an  instant,  at  the  sound  of  the  last  syllable 
("itr/i")  in  this  sentence,  hoc  est  corpus  nieuin:  and  they 
do  allow  Duns1  fantastical  imagination  of  indiciduum  vac/urn, 
which  demonstrated  (as  he  teacheth)  in  Christ's  words  one 
thing  in  substance,  that  being  (after  his  mind)  the  substance 
of  the  body  of  Christ. 

A   marvellous  thing,  how  any   man  can  agree  with  both 
those  two,  they  being  so  contrary  the  one  to  the  other.     For 
the  one  saith;  The  word  ("•tins'")  demonstrated  the  substance 
of  bread :    and  the   other  saith ;    "  No,  not  so ;  the  bread  is 
gone,   and   it  demonstrated   a   substance,   which  is   Christ's 
body."     "Tush,"  saith  the  third  man,  "ye  understand  nothing  Gardiner  to 
at  all :  they  agree  well  enough   in  the  chief  point,   which  is  jectiou. 
the  ground  of  all ;  that  is,  both   do  agree  and  bear  witness, 
that  there  is  transubstantiation. ^ 

They  do  agree,  indeed,  in  that  conclusion,  I  grant :  but 
their  proofs  and  doctrine  thereof  do  even  as  well  agree  to 
gether,  as  did  the  false  witnesses  before  Annas  and  Caiaphas 
against   Christ,    or  the   two  wicked  judges  against  Susanna. 
For  against  Christ  the   false   witnesses  did  agree,  no  doubt,  God-makers 
to  speak  all  against  him.     And  the  wicked  judges  were  both  themselves? 
agreed  to   condemn   poor   Susanna :  but,   in   examination   of 
their  witness,  they  dissented  so  far,  that  all  was  found  false, 
that   they   went  about ;    both  that  wherein  they  agreed,  and 
all  those  things  which  they  brought  for  their  proofs. 

Thus  much  have  I  spoken,  in  searching  out  a  solution 
for  this  principal  question :  which  was ;  What  is  the  material 
substance  of  the  holy  sacrament  in  the  Lord's  supper  2  Now, 
lest  I  should  seem  to  set  by  mine  own  conceit,  more  than  is 
meet ;  or  less  to  regard  the  doctrine  of  the  old  ecclesiastical  The  consent 
writers,  than  is  convenient  for  a  man  of  my  poor  learning  authors. 


28  A     ERIEF     DECLARATION 

and  simple  wit  for  to  do ;  and  because  also  I  am  indeed 
persuaded,  that  the  old  ecclesiastical  writers  understood  the 
true  meaning  of  Christ  in  this  matter ;  and  have  both  so 
truly  and  so  plainly  set  it  forth  in  certain  places  of  their 
writings,  that  no  man,  which  will  vouchsafe  to  read  them, 
and  without  prejudice  of  a  corrupt  judgment  will  indifferently 
weigh  them,  and  construe  their  minds  none  otherwise  than 
they  declare  themselves  to  have  meant :  I  am  persuaded 
(I  say),  that,  in  reading  of  them  thus,  no  man  can  be  ignorant 
in  this  matter,  but  he  that  will  shut  up  his  own  eyes,  and 
blindfold  himself.  When  I  speak  of  ecclesiastical  writers, 
I  mean  of  such  as  were  before  the  wicked  usurpation  of  the 
See  of  Borne  was  grown  so  unmeasurably  great,  that  not  only 
with  tyrannical  power,  but  also  with  corrupt  doctrine,  it  began 
to  subvert  Christ's  Gospel,  and  to  turn  the  state,  that  Christ 
and  his  Apostles  had  set  in  the  church,  upside  down. 

For  the  causes  aforesaid,  I  will  rehearse  certain  of  their 
sayings :  and  yet,  because  I  take  them  but  for  witnesses  and 
expounders  of  this  doctrine,  and  not  as  the  authors  of  the 
same ;  and  also  for  that  now  I  will  not  be  tedious,  I  will 
rehearse  but  few  :  that  is,  three  old  writers  of  the  Greek 
church,  and  other  three  of  the  Latin  church,  which  do  seem 
unto  me  to  be  in  this  matter  most  plain:  the  Greek  authors 
are  Origen,  Chrysostom,  and  Theodoret:  the  Latin  are  Ter- 
tullian,  St  Augustine,  and  Gelasius. 

I  know,  there  can  be  nothing  spoken  so  plainly,  but  the 
crafty  wit,  furnished  with  eloquence,  can  darken  it,  and  wrest 
it  quite  from  the  true  meaning  to  a  contrary  sense.  And 
I  know  also  that  eloquence,  craft,  and  fineness  of  wit,  hath 
gone  about  to  blear  men's  eyes  and  to  stop  their  ears  in 
the  aforenamed  writers,  that  men  should  neither  hear  nor 
see  what  those  authors  both  write  and  teach  so  plainly,  that, 
except  men  should  be  made  both  stark  blind  and  deaf,  they 
cannot  but  of  necessity,  if  they  will  read  and  weigh  them 
indifferently,  both  hear  and  see  what  they  do  mean,  when 
eloquence,  craft,  and  fineness  of  wit,  have  done  all  that 
they  can.  Now  let  us  hear  the  old  writers  of  the  Greek 
church. 

Origen.  Origen,  which  lived  above  twelve  hundred  and  fifty  years 

Lib.  vi.  cap.  ago ;    a  man,   for  the   excellency   of  his  learning,  so   highly 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  21) 

esteemed  in  Christ's  church,  that  he  was  counted  and  judged 
the  singular  teacher,  in  his  time,  of  Christ's  religion,  the 
confounder  of  heresies,  the  schoolmaster  of  many  godly  mar 
tyrs,  and  an  opener  of  high  mysteries  in  Scripture :  he, 
writing  upon  the  15th  chapter  of  St  Matthew's  Gospel, 
saith  thus:  "'But  if  any  thing  enter  into  the  mouth,  it  Origen  in 
goctli  away  into  the  belly,  and  is  avoided  into  the  draught. 
Yea,  and  that  meat  which  is  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God 
and  prayer,  concerning  the  matter  thereof,  it  goeth  away  into 
the  belly,  and  is  avoided  into  the  draught.  But,  for  the 
prayer  which  is  added  unto  it,  for  the  proportion  of  the  faith, 
it  is  made  profitable,  making  the  mind  able  to  perceive  and 
to  see  that  which  is  profitable.  For  it  is  not  the  material 
substance  of  bread,  but  the  word,  which  is  spoken  upon  it, 
that  is  profitable  to  the  man,  that  eateth  it  not  unworthily. 
And  this  I  mean  of  the  typical  and  symbolical  (that  is,  sa 
cramental)  body."  Thus  far  go  the  words  of  Origen ;  where 
it  is  plain,  first,  that  Origen,  speaking  here  of  the  sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  supper,  as  the  last  words  do  plainly  signify, 
doth  mean  and  teach,  that  the  material  substance  thereof  is 
received,  digested,  and  voided,  as  the  material  substance  of 
other  bread  and  meats  is :  which  could  not  be,  if  there 
were  no  material  substance  of  bread  at  all,  as  the  fantastical 
opinion  of  transubstantiation  doth  put. 

It  is  a  world  to  see  the  answer  of  the  Papists  to  this 
place  of  Origen. 

In  the  disputations,  which  were  in  this  matter  in  the  par-  The  <uspu- 

•••          tations  111 

liament  house,  and  in  both  the  universities  of  Cambridge  and  JJe  ^Jj*" 
Oxford,  they  that  defended  transubstantiation  said,  that  this  an(.1  in  *he 

.  umversi- 

part  of  Origen  was  but  set  forth  of  late  by  Erasmus,  andties- 
therefore  is  to  be  suspected.     But  how  vain  this  their  an- 

Q1  Hoi/  TO  da-TTopevofjicvoi'  ek  TO  a-Topa  ek  KoiXiav  "X_taptl  KCU  ek 
tK/3a\\€Tai*  xat  TO  eryja^o/xei/oi/  /3pdau.a  Cia  Ao'you  Geou 
eM,  KCIT  avro  jueV  TO  J/XtKoY,  ek  Ttjv  noiXiav  ^(apel  KO.\ 
ek  afyetpwva  eK/3a\\€Tac  KaTa  Be  TY^V  eViyii/o/je'i/f/i/  ayVu>  eir^j/V, 
KciTa  Tt]v  avaXoyiav  T^  Ti(TTea><?  w^fXuiov  yiveTCti,  KCCI  T^C  TOU 
vov  aiTtov  3ta/3\e'\//ew?,  opwvTos  CTTI  TO'  (a<f)e\ovv,  KCU  ov%  tj  v\tj  TOV 
ctjOTOi/,  a/\X  o  €7r  ai/Vw  clprjfjievos  /\dyo<?  tcrTiv  o  ca(pc\wi'  TOV  /JLIJ 
ai/afi'w?  TOU  Kvplov  e<r6iovTa  O.VTOV.  Orig.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  I7<f3, 
vol.  iii.  pp.  499,  500.  In  Matth.  Comment.  Horn.  xr.  ,  ED.] 


SO  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

swer  is,  it  appeareth  plainly.  For  so  may  all  the  good 
old  authors,  which  lay  in  old  libraries,  and  are  set  forth 
of  late,  be  by  this  reason  rejected :  as  Clemens  Alexandrinus, 
Theodoretus,  Justinus,  Ecclesiastica  Historia  Nicephori,  and 
other  such. 

Another  oi>.  Another  answer  they  had,  saying :  that  Origen  is  noted 
to  have  erred  in  some  points ;  and,  therefore,  faith  is  not  to 
be  given  in  this  matter  unto  him.  But  this  answer,  well 
weighed,  doth  minister  good  matter  to  the  clear  confutation 
of  itself.  For  indeed  we  grant  that  in  some  points  Origen 
did  err.  But  those  errors  are  gathered  out  and  noted  both 
of  St  Hierome  and  Epiphanius,  so  that  his  works  (those  errors 
excepted)  are  now  so  much  the  more  of  authority,  that  such 
great  learned  men  took  pains  to  draw  out  of  him  whatsoever 
they  thought  in  him  to  be  written  amiss.  But,  as  concerning 
the  matter  of  the  Lord's  supper,  neither  they  nor  yet  ever 
any  other  ancient  author  did  ever  say,  that  Origen  did  err. 
Gardiner  to  Now,  because  these  two  answers  have  been  of  late  so  con- 
jection.  futed  and  confounded,  that  it  is  well  perceived,  that  they  will 
take  no  place ;  therefore  some,  which  have  written  since  that 
time,  have  forged  two  other  answers,  even  of  the  same  mould. 

The  former  whereof  is,  that  Origen  in  this  place  spake 
not  of  the  sacrament  of  bread  or  wine  of  the  Lord's  table, 
but  of  another  mystical  meat,  of  the  which  St  Augus 
tine  maketh  mention,  to  be  given  unto  them,  that  were 
taught  the  faith,  before  they  were  baptized.  But  Origen's 
own  words  in  two  sentences  before  rehearsed,  being  put  to 
gether,  prove  this  answer  untrue.  For  he  saith,  that  "he 
meaneth  of  that  figurative  and  mystical  body,  which  profiteth 
them  that  do  receive  it  worthily:"  alluding  so  plainly  unto 
St  Paul's  words,  spoken  of  the  Lord's  supper,  that  it  is  a 
shame  for  any  learned  man  once  to  open  his  mouth  to  the 
contrary.  And  that  bread,  which  St  Augustine  speaketh  of, 
he  cannot  prove  that  any  such  thing  was  used  in  Origen's 
time.  Yea,  and  though  that  could  be  proved,  yet  was  there 
never  bread  at  any  time  called  a  sacramental  body\  saving 
the  sacramental  bread  of  the  Lord's  table,  which  is  called 
of  Origen  the  typical  and  symbolical  body  of  Christ. 

p  The  words  in  Italics,  though  found  in  the  edition  of  1556,  are  not 
in  those  subsequent.    ED.] 


OP    THE    LORDS    SUPPER.  31 

The  second  of  the  two  new-found  answers  is  yet  most 
monstrous  of  all  other,  which  is  this.  "But  let  us  grant  (say  i)lace- 
they)  that  Origen  spake  of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  by  the 
matter  thereof  was  understanded  the  material  substance  of 
bread  and  wine:  what  then?*"  say  they.  "For  though  the 
material  substance  was  once  gone  and  departed  by  reason  of 
transubstantiation,  whilst  the  forms  of  the  bread  and  wine 
did  remain;  yet  now  it  is  no  inconvenience  to  say,  that  as 
the  material  substance  did  depart  at  the  entering  in  of  Christ's 
body  under  the  aforesaid  forms,  so,  when  the  said  forms  be 
destroyed  and  do  not  remain,  then  cometh  again  the  substance 
of  bread  and  wine.  And  this,"  say  they,  uis  very  meet  in 
this  mystery,  that  that  which  began  with  a  miracle,  shall 
end  in  a  miracle."  If  I  had  not  read  this  fantasy,  I  would 
scarcely  have  believed,  that  any  learned  man  ever  would  have 
set  forth  such  a  foolish  fantasy;  which  not  only  lacketh  all 
ground  either  of  God's  word,  reason,  or  of  any  ancient  writer, 
but  is  also  clean  contrary  to  the  common  rules  of  school 
divinity ;  which  is,  that  no  miracle  is  to  be  affirmed  and  put 
without  necessity.  And,  although  for  their  former  miracle, 
which  is  their  transubstantiation,  they  have  some  colour, 
though  it  be  but  vain;  saying,  it  is  done  by  the  power  and 
virtue  of  these  words  of  Christ,  "This  is  my  body:"  yet  to 
make  this  second  miracle,  of  returning  the  material  substance 
again,  they  have  no  colour  at  all.  Or  else,  I  pray  them 
shew  me,  by  what  words  of  Christ  is  the  second  miracle 
wrought?  Thus  ye  may  see,  that  the  sleights  and  shifts, 
which  craft  and  wit  can  invent,  to  wrest  the  true  sense  of 
Origen,  cannot  take  place.  But  now  let  us  hear  one  other 
place  of  Origen,  and  so  we  will  let  him  go. 

Origen,  in  the   seventh   Homily,  super  Lemticiim,   saith,  The  second 
2 that   there  is  also  even  in  the  four  Gospels,   and  not   only 
in  the   Old  Testament,   a  letter   (meaning  a  literal  sense), 

\_2  Est  enim  in  Evangeliis  litera  qua?  occidet,  non  solum  in  veteri 
tcstamento  occidens  litera  deprehenditur.  Est  et  in  novo  testamcnto 
litera  qua?  occidet  cum  qui  non  spiritaliter  quae  dicuntur  adverterit.  Si 
enim  secundum  literam  sequaris  hoc  ipsum  quod  dictum  est  "Nisi 
nianducaveritis  carnem  meam  et  biberitis  sanguinem  meum,"  occidit 
hacc  litera.  Orig.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1733,  vol.  ii.  p.  22.5.  Horn, 
sup.  Levit.  vii.  Interp.  Ruf.  Eu/j 


32  A     BRIEF    DECLARATION 

which  killeth :  for,  if  thou  follow  (saith  he)  the  letter  in  that 
saying,  "Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and 
drink  his  blood,  &c."  this  letter  doth  kill.  If  in  that  place 
the  letter  doth  kill,  wherein  is  commanded  the  eating  of 
Christ's  flesh ;  then  surely  in  those  words  of  Christ,  wherein 
Christ  commandeth  ns  to  eat  his  body,  the  literal  sense 
thereof  likewise  doth  kill.  For  it  is  no  less  crime,  but  even 
the  same  and  all  one  in  the  literal  sense,  to  eat  Christ's 
body,  and  to  eat  Christ's  flesh.  Wherefore,  if  the  one  do 
kill,  except  it  be  understanded  figuratively  and  spiritually ;  then 
the  other  surely  doth  kill  likewise.  But,  that  to  eat  Christ  s 
flesh  doth  kill,  so  understanded,  Origen  affirmeth  plainly  in  his 
words  above  rehearsed.  Wherefore,  it  cannot  be  justly  denied, 
but  to  eat  Christ's  body,  literally  understanded,  must  needs 
(after  him)  kill  likewise. 

The  answer  that  is  made  to  this  place  of  Origen  of  the 
Papists  is  so  foolish,  that  it  bewrayeth  itself  without  any 
further  confutation.  It  is  the  same,  that  they  make  to  a 
Lib.  iii.  cap.  place  of  St  Augustine,  in  his  book  De  Doctrina  Christiana, 
whereas  St  Augustine  speaketh  in  effect  the  same  thing  that 
Origen  doth  here.  The  Papists'  answer  is  this:  "To  the 
carnal  man  the  literal  sense  is  hurtful,  but  not  so  to  the 
spiritual."  As  though  to  understand  that  in  its  proper 
sense,  which  ought  to  be  taken  figuratively,  were  to  the 
carnal  man  a  dangerous  peril,  but  to  the  spiritual  man  none 
at  all. 

Cjuysostom,        ]\TOW  £o  Chrysostom,  whom  I  bring  for  the  second  writer 

Hwn^Mn  m  *ke  ^ree^  church.     He,  speaking  of  the  unholy  using  of 

Matt.         nian's  body,  which,  after  St  Paul,  ought  to  be  kept  pure  and 

holy,  as   the   very  temple   of  the   Holy   Ghost,    saith  thus : 

"'If  it  be  a  fault  (saith  he)  to  translate  the  holy  vessels  (in 

\_ l  Si  ergo  vasa  sanctificata  ad  privates  usus  transferre,  sic  periculo- 
sum  est,  in  quibus  non  est  verum  corpus  Christi,  sed  mysterium  corporis 
ejus  continetur ;  quanto  magis  vasa  corporis  nostri,  quae  sibi  Deus  ad 
habitaculum  prseparavit,  non  debemus  locum  dare  Diabolo  agendi  in 
eis  quod  vult. 

S.  Chrysostomi  Op.  Latin.     Op.  Imperfect,  in  Matth.  Horn.  xi. 


Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1724.  in  fine  tomi  sexti 
p.  Ixiii. 

Ed.  Antwerp  Nomeceius  vol.  ii.  (of  the 
Commentary)  p.  35.  ED.] 


in  brackets,  and  with 
a  side-note,  indicating 
a  doubt  of  its  genuine 


ness. 


OF    THE    LORDS    SUPPER. 


33 


the  which  is  contained  not  the  true  body  of  Christ,  but  the 
mystery  of  the  body)  to  private  uses ;  how  much  more  offence 
is  it  to  abuse  and  defile  the  vessels  of  our  body  ?" 

These  be  the  words  of  Chrysostom :  but,  I  trow,  that 
here  many  foul  shifts  are  devised  to  defeat  this  place. 

"The  author,"  saith  one,  "is  suspected."  I  answer,  but 
in  this  place  never  fault  was  found  with  him  unto  these  our 
days.  And  whether  the  author  were  John  Chrysostom  him 
self,  the  archbishop  of  Constantinople,  or  no,  that  is  not  the 
matter :  for  of  all  it  is  granted,  that  he  was  a  writer  of  that 
age,  and  a  man  of  learning.  So  that  it  is  manifest,  that 
this  which  he  writeth  was  the  received  opinion  of  learned 
men  in  his  days:  or  else,  undoubtedly  in  such  a  matter  his 
saying  should  have  been  impugned  of  some  that  wrote  in  his 
time,  or  near  unto  the  same. 

"  Nay,"  saith  another,  "  if  this  solution  will  not  serve, 
we  may  say,  that  Chrysostom  did  not  speak  of  the  ves-jectum> 
sels  of  the  Lord's  cup,  or  such  as  were  then  used  at  the 
Lord's  table,  but  of  the  vessels  used  in  the  temple  in  the 
old  law."  This  answer  will  serve  no  more  than  the  other. 
For  here  Chrysostom  speaketh  of  such  vessels,  wherein  was 
that  which  was  called  the  body  of  Christ,  although  it  was  not 
the  true  body  (saith  he)  of  Christ,  but  the  mystery  of  Christ's 
body.  Now  of  the  vessels  of  the  old  law,  the  writers  do  use 
no  such  manner  of  phrase ;  for  their  sacrifices  were  not  called 
Christ's  body :  for  then  Christ  was  not,  but  in  shadows  and 
figures,  and  not  by  the  sacrament  of  his  body  revealed. 
Erasmus,  which  was  a  man  that  could  understand  the  words 
and  sense  of  the  writers,  although  he  would  not  be  seen  to 
speak  against  this  error  of  transubstantiation,  because  he 
durst  not,  yet  in  this  time  declareth  plainly,  that  this  say 
ing  of  the  writer  is  none  otherwise  to  be  understanded. 

"  Yet  can  I,"  saith  the  third  Papist,  "find  out  a  fine  and  tGhaer^erin 
subtle  solution  for  this  place,  and  grant  all  that  yet  is  said,  place' 
both  allowing  here  the  writer,  and  also  that  he  meant  of  the 
vessels  of  the  Lord's  table.     For  (saith  he)  the  body  of  Christ 
is  not  contained  in  them,  at  the  Lord's  table,  as  in  a  place, 
fcut  as  in  a  mystery."    Is  not  this  a  pretty  shift,  and  a  mys 
tical  solution?    But,  by  the  same  solution,  then  Christ's  body 
is  not  in  the  Lord's  table,  nor  in  the  priest's  hands,  nor  in 

3 

[RIDLEY.] 


°*  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

the  pix :  and  so  he  is  here  no  where.  For  they  will  not  say, 
that  he  is  either  here  or  there,  as  in  a  place.  This  answer 
pleaseth  so  well  the  maker,  that  he  himself  (after  he  had 
played  with  it  a  little  while,  and  sheweth  the  fineness  of 
his  wit  and  eloquence  therein)  is  content  to  give  it  over  and 
say,  "But  it  is  not  to  be  thought,  that  Chrysostom  would 
speak  after  this  fineness  or  subtlety:"  and  therefore  he  re- 
turneth  again  unto  the  second  answer  for  his  sheet  anchor, 
which  is  sufficiently  confuted  before. 

Another  short  place  of  Chrysostom  I  will  rehearse,  which 
(if  any  indifference  may  be  heard)  in  plain  terms  setteth 
forth  the  truth  of  this  matter.  "'Before  the  bread,"  saith 

Monachum.  Chrysostom,  writing  ad  Cwsarium*  monacfaim,  "be  hallowed, 
we  call  it  bread:  but,  the  grace  of  God  sanctifying  it  by 
the  means  of  the  priests,  it  is  delivered  now  from  the  name 
of  bread,  and  esteemed  worthy  to  be  called  Christ's  body, 
although  the  nature  of  bread  tarry  in  it  still."  These  be 
Chrysostom's  words,  wherein  I  pray  you,  what  can  be  said 
or  thought  more  plain  against  this  error  of  transubstantia- 

SoiSVb-  tion>  tnan  to  Declare,  that  the  bread  abideth  so  still?  And 
yet  this  so  plain  a  place  some  are  not  ashamed  thus  shame 
fully  to  elude,  saying :  "  We  grant  the  nature  of  bread 
remaineth  still  thus,  for  that  it  may  be  seen,  felt,  and  tasted ; 
and  yet  the  corporeal  substance  of  the  bread  therefore  is 
gone,  lest  two  bodies  should  be  confused  together,  and  Christ 
should  be  thought  impanate." 

What  contrariety  and  falsehood  is  in  this  answer,  the 
simple  man  may  easily  perceive.  Is  not  this  a  plain  con 
trariety,  to  grant  that  the  nature  of  bread  remaineth  so 
still,  that  it  may  be  seen,  felt,  and  tasted,  and  yet  to  say, 
the  corporeal  substance  is  gone,  to  avoid  the  absurdity  of 
Christ's  impanation?  And  what  manifest  falsehood  is  this, 
to  say  or  mean  that,  if  the  bread  should  remain  still,  then 

£ *  Sicut  enim  antequam  sanctificetur  panis,  Panem  nominamus,  di- 
vina  autem  ilium  sanctificante  gratia,  mediante  Sacerdote,  liberatus  est 
quidem  appellatione  panis,  dignus  autem  habitus  est  dominici  corporis 
appellatione,  etiamsi  natura  panis  in  eo  permansit.  S.  Chrysostomi 
Op.  Ep.  ad  Caesarium  Monachum.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  vol.  iii.  p.  744. — 1717. 
ED.] 

£a  See  note  B.  at  the  end  of  the  volume*    ED.] 


OF    THE    LORDS    SUPPER.  OO 

must  follow  the  inconveniency  of  impanation?  As  though 
the  very  bread  could  not  be  a  sacrament  of  Christ's  body  (as 
water  is  of  baptism),  except  Christ  should  unite  the  nature 
of  bread  to  his  nature,  in  unity  of  person,  and  make  of  the 
bread  God. 

Now  let  us  hear  Theodoretus,  which  is  the  last  of  the  Theodoret. 
three   Greek  authors.     He  writeth  in  his  Dialogue  contra  Dial.  i. 
Eutychen  thus:   u2He  that  called  his  natural  body  corn  and 
bread,  and  also  named  himself  a  vine  tree  ;  even  he,  the  same, 
hath  honoured  the  symbols  (that  is,  the  sacramental  signs) 
with  the  names  of  his  body  and  blood,  not  changing  indeed 
the  nature  itself,  but  adding  grace  unto  the  nature.1' 

What  can  be  more  plainly  said  than  this,  that  this 
old  writer  saith?  That  although  the  sacraments  bear  the 
name  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  yet  is  not  their  na 
ture  changed,  but  abideth  still.  And  where  is  then  the 
Papists1  transubstantiation  ? 

The  same  writer,  in  the  second  dialogue  of  the  same  Dial.  2, 
work  against  the  aforesaid  heretic  Eutyches,  writeth  yet  more 
plainly  against  this  error  of  transubstantiation,  if  any  thing 
can  be  said  to  be  more  plain.  For  he  maketh  the  heretic 
to  speak  thus  against  him  that  defendeth  the  true  doctrine, 
whom  he  calleth  Orthodoxus :  " 3  As  the  sacraments  of  the 
body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  are  one  thing  before  the  in 
vocation,  and  after  the  invocation  they  be  changed,  and  are 
made  another;  so  likewise  the  Lord's  body  (saith  the 

2  O  yap  drj  TO  <£>u<rei  trwjua  <T?TOI/  Kai  dpTov  7rpo(rayopev(ra<;, 
Kai  av  TraXiv  eavTov  a/HTreXov  oi/o/jiacras,  OUTO?  Ta  opcafjieva  (rv[j./3o\a 
TT]  TOV  (rw/jcaTo?  Kai  aifjiaTos  7rpo<rrjyopia  TCTijU^Kei/,  ov  Tr\v  (bv<riv 
peTa(3a\tav,  aAAa  Trjv  ")(dpiv  Trj  (pvcrei  irpoa-TedeiKM.  Theod.  Dial.  1. 
Op.  Ed.  Par.  3642,  torn.  iv.  p.  18.  ED.] 

[_    Epai/.     "Qairep  TOIVVV  ra  (ruV/3oAa  TOV  SCO-TTOTIKOV  <rw'/AaTo'<?  TC 
Kai  a//xaro5  aAAa    fj.ev   elvi   -npo   T»7?   tepaTiKrjs    e7riK\t]<reias,    jucra   Be 
ye  Ttjv  €7riK\r](yiv  /-leTapaAAerat  Kai  eT6pa  yivcTai'  OVTOJ  TO  BecrTTOTtKOi/ 
/j.6Ta  Trjv  ava\rj\lsiv,   ei?  Tt}v  ovcriav  fJLeTe(3\t]6r]   TI-JV  deiav. 
joo^o?.     EaAw?  al?  vcprives  apKixnv  ov$e  ydp,  peTa  TOV  dyiaa-- 

eVt  Trjs  TrpOTepas  ouo-i'a?  KOI  TOV  (t^r/'juaTO?  Kat  TOV  eTSouc,  Kat  opaTa 
€<TTI  Kai  aVra,  o7a  Kai  -jrpoTepov  fa.  Theod.  Dial.  2.  Op.  Ed.  Par.  1642, 
torn.  iv.  p.  85.  ED.] 

3—2 


S6  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

heretic)  is,  after  the  assumption  or  ascension  into  heaven, 
turned  into  the  substance  of  God:"  the  heretic  meaning 
thereby,  that  Christ,  after  his  ascension,  remaineth  no  more 
a  man. 

To  this  Orthodoxus  answereth  thus,  and  saith  to  the 
heretic :  "  Thou  art  taken  (saith  he)  in  thine  own  snare ;  for 
those  mystical  symbols  or  sacraments,  after  the  sanctification, 
do  not  go  out  of  their  own  nature,  but  they  tarry  and  abide  still 
in  their  substance,  figure,  and  shape ;  yea,  and  are  sensibly 
seen,  and  groped  to  be  the  same  as  they  were  before,  &c." 

At  these  words  the  Papists  do  startle;  and,  to  say  the 

truth,   these  words   be  so  plain,  so  full,  and  so  clear,  that 

they  cannot  tell  what  to  say:    but  yet  they  will  not  cease 

The  cuttle  is  to  go  about  to  play  the  cuttles,  and  to  cast  their   colours 

a  sea-fish  r     J 

SSitweVe  over  t^iem5  tnat  tne  trutn>  which  is  so  plainly  told,  should 
hSrin?ndbs?t  not  have  Place'  "Tllis  author  wrote"  (say  they)  "before 
tKaS*  *he  determination  of  the  church."  As  who  would  say,  what- 
ethtakfnip" soever  tnat  wicked  man  Innocentius,  the  Pope  of  Rome, 
capn>4Iib' ix-  determined  in  his  congregations  with  his  monks  and  friars, 

that  must  needs  be  (for  so  Duns  saith)  holden  for  an  article, 

and  of  the  substance  of  our  faith. 

so  answered  Some  do  charge  this  author,  that  he  was  suspected  to  be 
man  in  the  a  Nestorian :  which  thing,  in  Chalcedon  council,  was  tried, 

Convocation  °  ' 

House.  and  proved  to  be  false.  But  the  foulest  shift  of  all,  and 
yet  the  best  that  they  can  find  in  this  matter,  when  none 
other  will  serve,  is  to  say,  that  Theodoret  understandeth 
by  the  word  substance  accidents,  and  not  substance  indeed. 
This  gloss  is  like  a  gloss  of  a  lawyer  upon  a  decree,  the 
text  whereof  beginneth  thus :  Statuimus,  that  is,  "  we  de 
cree."  The  gloss  of  the  lawyer  (after  many  other  pretty 
shifts  there  set  forth,  which  he  thinketh  will  not  well  serve 
to  his  purpose),  therefore  at  the  last,  to  clear  the  matter, 
he  saith  thus :  "  after  the  mind  of  one  lawyer,  vet  die1'1  (saith 
he)  "  statuimus,  id  est,  abrogamus1"  that  is,  as  expounded, 

caististatui    " we  ^°  ^ecree'  ^na*  *s>  we  ^°  abrogate   or  disannul."     Is 

mus-          not  this   a   worthy  and  goodly  gloss?     Who   will   not  say, 

but  he  is  worthy  in  the  law  to  be  retained  of  counsel,  that 

can  gloss  so  well,  and  find  in  a  matter   of  difficulty  such 

[x  The  words  "vel  die"  do  not  occur  in  the  passage.     Decreta 
Gratiani.  Ed.  Par.  1585,  p.  14.    ED.] 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  37 

fine  shifts?  And  yet  this  is  the  law,  or  at  the  least  the 
gloss  of  the  law.  And  therefore  who  can  tell  what  peril  a 
man  may  incur  to  speak  against  it ;  except  he  were  a  lawyer 
indeed,  which  can  keep  himself  out  of  the  briers,  what  wind 
soever  may  blow? 

Hitherto  ye  have  heard  the  writers  of  the  Greek  church, 
not  all  what  they  do  say,  for  that  were  a  labour  too  great 
for  to  gather,  and  too  tedious  for  the  reader,  but  one  or  two 
places  of  every  one.  The  which  how  plain,  and  how  full 
and  clear  they  be  against  the  error  of  transubstantiation, 
I  refer  it  to  the  judgment  of  the  indifferent  reader.  And 
now  I  will  likewise  rehearse  the  sayings  of  other  three  old 
ancient  writers  of  the  Latin  Church,  and  so  make  an  end. 

And  first  I  will  begin  with  Tertullian ;  whom  Cyprian,  the  Tertuiiian. 
holy  martyr,  so  highly  esteemed,  that,  whensoever  he  would 
have  his  book,  he  was  wont  to  say,  "  Give  me  the  master." 
This  old  writer,  in  his  fourth  book  against  Marcion,  the 
heretic,  saith  thus:  ul Jesus  made  the  bread,  which  he  took 
and  distributed  to  his  disciples,  his  body,  saying,  This  is  my 
body :  that  is  to  say  (saith  Tertullian),  a  figure  of  my  body." 
In  this  place  it  is  plain  that,  after  Tertullian's  exposition,  Adv.  Marc. 
Christ  meant  not,  by  calling  the  bread  his  body  and  the  40.' 
wine  his  blood,  that  either  the  bread  was  his  natural  body 
or  the  wine  his  natural  blood :  but  he  called  them  his  body 
and  blood,  because  he  would  institute  them  to  be  unto  us 
sacraments,  that  is,  holy  tokens  and  signs  of  his  body  and 
of  his  blood ;  that,  by  them  remembering  and  firmly  believing 
the  benefits  procured  to  us  by  his  body,  which  was  torn 
and  crucified  for  us,  and  of  (by)  his  blood  which  was  shed 
for  us  upon  the  cross,  and  so  with  thanks  receiving  these 
holy  sacraments  according  to  Christ's  institution,  (we)  might 
by  the  same  be  spiritually  nourished  and  fed  to  the  increase 
of  all  godliness  in  us  here  in  our  pilgrimage  and  journey, 
wherein  we  walk  unto  everlasting  life.  This  was  undoubtedly 
Christ  our  Saviour's  mind,  and  tin's  is  Tertullian's  exposition. 
The  wrangling,  that  the  Papists  do  make  to  elude  this 
saying  of  Tertullian,  is  so  far  out  of  frame,  that  it  even 

\}  Acceptum  panem  et  distributum  discipulis  corpus  suum  ilium 
fecit,  "hoc  est  corpus  meum"  dicendo:  id  est,  figura  corporis  mei. 
Tertul.  Adv.  Mar.  lib.  iv.  c.  40.  Op.  Ed.  Par.  1641,  p.  571.  ED.") 


38 


A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 


Tertullian, 
lib.  i.  cap. 
14,  contra 
Marcion. 


the'iethVb0-  wearietn  me  to  tnmk  on  tt-     "  Tertullian  writeth  here  (say 
jection.       they)  as  none  hath   done  hitherto  before  him,  neither  yet 
any  other  catholic  man  after  him." 

This  saying  is  too  manifestly  false:  for  Origen,  Hilary, 
Ambrose,  Basil,  Gregory  Nazianzen,  St  Augustine,  and  other 
old  authors  likewise,  do  call  the  sacrament  a  figure  of  Christ's 
body.  And  where  they  say,  that  Tertullian  wrote  this  when 
he  was  in  a  heat  of  disputation  with  an  heretic,  coveting 
by  all  means  to  overthrow  his  adversary;  as  who  should 
say,  he  would  not  take  heed  what  he  did  say,  and  specially 
what  he  would  write  in  so  high  a  matter,  so  that  he  might 
have  the  better  hand  of  his  adversary;  is  this  credible  to 
be  true  in  any  godly  wise  man?  How  much  less  then  is 
it  worthy  to  be  thought  or  credited  in  a  man  of  so  great 
a  wit,  learning,  and  excellency,  as  Tertullian  is  worthily  es 
teemed  ever  to  have  been? 

Likewise  this  author  in  his  first  book  against  the  same 
heretic  Marcion  writeth  thus:  ulGod  did  not  reject  bread, 
which  is  his  creature ;  for  by  it  he  hath  made  a  representa 
tion  of  his  body."  Now  I  pray  you,  what  is  this  to  say, 
that  Christ  hath  made  a  representation  (by  bread)  of  his 
body,  but  that  Christ  had  instituted  and  ordained  bread  to 
be  a  sacrament,  for  to  represent  unto  us  his  body?  Now. 
whether  the  representation  of  one  thing  by  another  requireth 
the  corporeal  presence  of  the  thing  which  is  so  represented 
or  no,  every  man  that  hath  understanding  is  able  in  this 
point  (the  matter  is  so  clear  of  itself),  to  be  a  sufficient 
judge. 

The  second  doctor  and  writer  of  the  Latin  church,  whose 
saying  I  promised  to  set  forth,  is  St  Augustine,  of  whose 
learning  and  estimation  I  need  not  to  speak.  For  all  the 
church  of  Christ  both  hath  and  ever  hath  had  him  for  a 
man  of  most  singular  learning,  wit,  and  diligence,  both  in 
setting  forth  the  true  doctrine  of  Christ's  religion,  and  also 
in  defence  of  the  same  against  heretics. 

This  author,  as  he  hath  written  most  plenteously  in  other 

Q1  Sed  ille  quidem  usque  nunc  nee  aquam  reprobavit  creatoris  qua 
suos  abluit,  nee  oleum  quo  suos  unguit,  nee  mellis  et  lactis  societatem 
qu§,  suos  infantat,  nee  panem  quo  ipsum  corpus  suum  repraesentat.  Ter- 
tul.  Cont.  Mar.  lib.  i.  c.  14.  Op.  Ed.  Par.  1641,  pp.  439,  440.  ED.] 


St  Augus 
tine. 


OF    THE    LORD  S    SUPPER. 


39 


matters  of  our  faith,  so  likewise  on  this  argument  he  hath 
written  at  large  in  many  of  his  works  so  plainly  against  this 
error  of  transubstantiation,  that  the  Papists  love  least  to 
hear  of  him  of  all  other  writers;  partly  for  his  authority, 
and  partly  because  he  openeth  the  matter  more  fully  than 
any  other  doth.  Therefore  I  will  rehearse  more  places  of 
him,  than  heretofore  I  have  done  of  the  other. 

And  first,  what  can  be  more  plain,  than  that  which  he 
writeth  upon  the  98th  Psalm,  speaking  of  the  sacrament  of  p 
the  Lord's  body  and  blood;  and  rehearsing  (as  it  were) 
Christ's  words  to  his  disciples,  after  this  manner?  "2It  is  not 
this  body,  which  ye  do  see,  that  ye  shall  eat,  neither  shall 
ye  drink  this  blood,  which  the  soldiers  that  crucified  me  shall 
spill  or  shed:  I  do  commend  unto  you  a  mystery,  or  a 
sacrament,  which  spiritually  understood  shall  give  you  life." 
Now,  if  Christ  had  no  more  natural  and  corporal  bodies,  but 
that  one  which  they  then  presently  both  heard  and  saw,  nor 
other  natural  blood,  but  that  which  was  in  the  same  body, 
and  the  which  the  soldiers  did  afterward  cruelly  shed  upon 
the  cross;  and  neither  this  body  nor  this  blood  was  (by 
this  declaration  of  St  Augustine)  either  to  be  eaten  or 
drunken,  but  the  mystery  thereof  spiritually  to  be  under- 
standed ;  then  I  conclude  (if  this  saying  and  exposition  of  St 
Augustine  be  true),  that  the  mystery,  which  the  disciples 
should  eat,  was  not  the  natural  body  of  Christ,  but  a  mys 
tery  of  the  same,  spiritually  to  be  understanded. 

For  as  St  Augustine  saith,  in  his  20th  book,  " 3  Christ's  Aug.  contra 

Faustum, 

flesh  and  blood  was  in  the  Old  Testament  promised  by  simili-  ™*.  **• ca?- 
tudes  and  signs   of  their   sacrifices,   and  was    exhibited    in 
deed  and  in  truth   upon   the   cross :    but   the  same  is  cele 
brated   by  a    sacrament    of  remembrance    upon   the  altar." 

[2  Non  hoc  corpus,  quod  videtis,  manducaturi  cstis ;  et  bibituri  ilium 
sanguinem,  quern  fusuri  sunt  qui  me  crucifigent.  Sacramentum  ali- 
quod  vobis  commendavi ;  quod,  spiritaliter  intellectum,  vivificabit  vos. 
S.  Aug.  in  Psal.  xcviii.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  vol.  iv.  col.  1066.  Basil  Edit, 
vol.  viii.  col.  1105.  ED.] 

Q3  Hujus  sacrificii  caro  et  sanguis  ante  adventum  Christi  per  victi- 
marum  similitudinem  promittebatur,  in  passione  Christi  per  ipsam  veri- 
tatem  reddebatur,  post  adscensum  Christi  per  sacramentum  memoriae 
celebratur.  S.  Aug.  cont.  Faust,  lib.  xx.  c.  98.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  torn, 
viii.  col.  348.  ED.] 


40  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

DC  Fide,  ad  And  in  his  book  De  Fide  ad  Petrum,  cap.  19,  he  saith,  that 

Petrum,cap. 

"'In  these  sacrifices,  (meaning  of  the  old  law,)  it  is  figu 
ratively  signified  what  was  then  to  be  given:  but  in  this 
sacrifice  it  is  evidently  signified,  what  is  already  given  (under 
standing  in  the  sacrifice  upon  the  altar),  the  remembrance 
and  thanksgiving  for  the  flesh,  which  he  offered  for  us  upon  the 
cross :"  as  in  the  same  place  evidently  there  it  may  appear. 

Another  evident  and  clear  place,  wherein  it  appeareth, 
that  by  the  sacramental  bread,  which  Christ  called  his  body, 
he  meant  "a  figure  of  his  body,"  is  upon  the  third  Psalm, 

inUi£Siiiie  wnere  St  Augustine  speaketh  thus  in  plain  terms :  "  Christ 
did  admit  Judas  unto  the  feast,  in  the  which  he  com 
mended  unto  his  disciples  the  figure  of  Ms  body2"  This  was 
Christ's  last  supper  before  his  passion,  wherein  he  did  ordain 
the  sacrament  of  his  body,  as  all  learned  men  do  agree. 

Augustine,  gt  Augustine  also  in  his  23rd  Epistle  to  Bonifacius 
teacheth  how  sacraments  do  bear  the  names  of  the  things 
whereof  they  be  sacraments,  both  in  baptism  and  in  the 
Lord's  table ;  even  as  we  call  every  Good  Friday  the  day  of 
Christ's  passion,  and  every  Easter  Day  the  day  of  Christ's 
resurrection;  when,  in  very  deed,  there  was  but  one  day 
wherein  he  suffered,  and  but  one  day  wherein  he  rose.  And 
why  do  we  then  call  them  so,  which  are  not  so  indeed,  but 
because  they  are  in  like  time  and  course  of  the  year,  as  those 
days  were  wherein  those  things  were  done  ?  "  Was  Christ 

Q1  In  illis  enim  carnalibus  victimis  figuratio  fuit  carnis  Christ!, 
quam  pro  peccatis  nostris  ipse  sine  peccato  fuerat  oblaturus,  et  san 
guinis  quern  erat  effusurus  in  remissionem  peccatorum  nostrorum ;  in  isto 
autem  sacrificio  gratiarum  actio  atque  commemoratio  est  camis  Christ! 
quam  pro  nobis  obtulit  et  sanguinis  quern  pro  nobis  idem  Deus  effudit. 
Fulgentius,  Edit.  Lug.  1633. 

The  Liber  ad  Petrum  de  Fide  is  a  work  not  of  Augustine,  but  of 
Fulgentius.  In  the  Benedictine  Edition  of  St  Augustine,  printed  at 
Paris,  1679,  the  book  is  prefaced  with  an  Admonitio  commencing  thus : 
Liber  "de  fide  ad  Petrum"  inter  Augustini  opera  olim  impressus  est, 
veterum  aliquot  manuscriptorum  auctoritate,  verum  non  esse  Augus 
tini  probe  monstravit  Erasmus  ex  ipsa  phrasi,  aliisque  argumentis  quae 
hie  referre  superfluum  putamus.  Nam  indubitatus  ejus  auctor  a 
nemine  jam  ignoratur  Fulgentius.  ED.] 

[2  Cum  adhibuit  ad  convivium  in  quo  corporis  et  sanguinis  sui  figu- 
ram  discipulis  commendavit  et  tradidit.  S.  Aug.  in  Psal.  iii.  Op.  Ben. 
Ed.  Par.  vol.  iv.  col.  7.  ED.] 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  41 

(saith  St  Augustine)  offered  any  more  but  once?  And  he 
offered  himself.  And  yet  in  a  sacrament  or  representation, 
not  only  every  solemn  feast  of  Easter,  but  also  every  day 
to  the  people  he  is  offered.  So  that  he  doth  not  lie,  that 
saith,  4He  is  every  day  offered.1  For  if  sacraments  had 
not  some  similitude  or  likeness  of  those  things,  whereof  they 
be  sacraments,  they  could  in  no  wise  be  sacraments :  and,  for 
their  similitudes  and  likeness,  commonly  they  have  the  names 
of  the  things  whereof  they  be  sacraments.  Therefore,  as 
after  a  certain  manner  of  speech  the  sacrament  of  Christ's 
body  is  Christ's  body,  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  blood  is 
Christ's  blood  ;  so  likewise  the  sacrament  of  faith  is  faith3."' 

After  this  manner  of  speech,  St  Augustine  teacheth  in  Quest.  57, 
his   question,   Super   Leviticum   et   cont.  Adamantum,   it   is 
''said  in  Scripture,  that  seven  ears  of  corn  be  seven  years; 
and  'the  rock  was  Christ;'    and  'blood  is  the  soul4:'   the 
which  last  saying  (saith  St  Augustine  in  his  book  cont.  Ad-  Ep.  102,  cap. 
amant.5)  is  understanded  to  be  spoken  in  a  sign  or  figure ;  for 
the  Lord  himself  did  not  stick  to  say,  '  This  is  my  body,' 

[3  Nonne  semcl  immolatus  est  Christus  in  seipso  ?  et  tamen  in  sacra- 
mento  non  solum  per  omnes  Paschte  solemnitates,  sed  omni  die  populis 
immolating  nee  utique  mentitur  qui  interrogatus  eum  respondent  im- 
molari.  Si  enim  sacramenta  quamdam  similitudinem  earum  rerum 
quaram  sacramenta  sunt,  non  haberent,  omnino  sacramenta  non  essent ; 
ex  hac  autem  similitudine  plerumque  etiam  ipsarum  rerum  nomina 
accipiunt.  Sicut  ergo,  secundum  quemdam  modum,  sacramentum  cor- 
poris  Christi  corpus  Christi  est,  sacramentum  sanguinis  Christi  sanguis 
Christ!  est;  ita  sacramentum  fidei  fides  est.  S.  Aug.  Epist.  xxiu.  Op. 
Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1679.  vol.  ii.  col.  267.  F.  ED.] 

{j4  Solet  autem  res  quae  significat  ejus  rei  nomine  quam  significat 
nuncupari,  sicut  scriptum  est,  septem  spicae  septem  anni  sunt;  non 
cnim  dixit,  septem  annos  significant.  Septem  boves  septem  anni  sunt, 
et  multa  hujusmodi.  Hinc  est  quod  dictum  est,  Petra  erat  Christus; 
non  enim  dixit,  Petra  significat  Christum,  sed  tanquam  hoc  esset  quod  uti 
que  per  substantiam  non  hoc  erat,  sed  per  significationem.  Sic  et  sanguis 
quoniam  propter  vitalem  corpulentiam  animam  significat  in  sacramentis , 
anima  dictus  est.  S.  Aug.  Quaest.  57.  lib.  in.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  vol.  iii. 
col.  516.  ED.] 

[5  Nam  ex  eo  quod  scriptum  est  sanguinem  pecoris  animam  ejus 
esse,  prseter  id  quod  supra  dixi,  non  ad  me  pertinere  quid  agatur  de 
pecoris  anima,  possum  etiam  interpretari  prseceptum  illud,  in  signo 
esse  positum;  non  enim  Dominus  dubitavit  dicere,  "Hoc  est  corpus 
meum,"  cum  signum  daret  corporis  sui.  S.  Aug.  Epist.  cii.  c.  12.  sect.  3. 
Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  vol.  iii.  col.  124.  ED.] 


42  A    BRIEF    DECLARATION 

when  he  gave  the  sign  of  his  body."  "For  we  must  not 
consider  in  sacraments  (saith  St  Augustine  in  another  pkce) 
what  they  be,  but  what  they  do  signify.  For  they  be  signs 
of  things,  being  one  thing  in  themselves,  and  yet  signifying 
anotner  thing1."  "  For  the  heavenly  bread  (saith  he),  speak- 
m&  °^  ^e  sacramental  bread,  by  some  manner  of  speech  is 
called  Christ's  body,  when  in  very  deed  it  is  the  sacrament 
of  his  body,  &c." 

What  can  be  more  plain  or  more  clearly  spoken,  than 
are  these  places  of  St  Augustine  before  rehearsed,  if  men 
were  not  obstinately  bent  to  maintain  an  untruth,  and  to 
receive  nothing,  whatsoever  doth  set  it  forth?  Yet  one 
place  more  of  St  Augustine  will  I  allege,  which  is  very  clear 
to  this  purpose,  that  Christ's  natural  body  is  in  heaven,  and 
not  here  corporally  in  the  sacrament,  and  so  let  him  depart. 
^n  ^s  ^s*  Treatise,  which  he  writeth  upon  John,  he 
Evan.  cap.  teacheth  plainly  and  clearly,  how  Christ,  being  both  God 
and  man,  is  both  here  after  a  certain  manner,  and  yet  in 
heaven,  and  not  here  in  his  natural  body  and  substance 
which  he  took  of  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary,  speaking  thus  of 
Christ,  and  saying,  "2By  his  divine  majesty,  by  his  provi- 

t1  Haec  enim  sacramenta  sunt,  in  quibus  non  quid  sint,  sed  quid  os- 
tendant  semper  adtenditur,  quoniam  signa  sunt  rerum,  aliud  existentia, 
aliud  significantia.  S.  Aug.  cont.  Max.  lib.  u.  c.  22.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par. 
vol.  viii.  col.  725.  ED.] 

P  Accipiant  hoc  et  boni,  sed  non  suit  soliciti;  loquebatur  enim  de 
praesentia  corporis  sui.  Nam  secundum  majestatem  suam,  secundum 
providentiam,  secundum  ineffabilem  et  invisibilem  gratiam,  impletur 
quod  ab  eo  dictum  est,  "Ecce  ego  vobiscum  sum  usque  in  consum- 
mationem  saeculi."  Secundum  carnem  vero  quam  Verbum  assumsit, 
secundum  id  quod  de  virgine  natus  est,  secundum  id  quod  a  Judaeis 
prehensus  est,  quod  ligno  confixus,  quod  de  cruce  depositus,  quod  lin- 
teis  involutus,  quod  in  sepulchre  conditus,  quod  in  resurrectione  mani- 
festatus,  non  semper  habebitis  vobiscum.  Quare?  Quoniam  conversatus 
est  secundum  corporis  prsesentiam  quadraginta  diebus  cum  discipulis 
suis,  et,  eis  deducentibus  videndo,  non  sequendo,  adscendit  in  coelum,  et 
non  est  hie.  I  bi  est  enim  et  sedet  ad  dexteram  Patris,  et  Me  est :  non  enim 
recessit  praesentia  majestatis.  Aliter,  secundum  praesentiam  majestatis., 
semper  habemus  Christum :  secundum  praesentiam  carnis,  recte  dictum 
est  discipulis,  "me  autem  non  semper  habebitis."  Habuit  enim  ilium 
Ecclesia  secundum  praesentiam  carnis  paucis  diebus;  modo  fide  tenet, 
oculis  non  videt.  S.  Aug.  Tract  LI.  in  Johan.  Ev.  c.  12.  Op.  Ed.  Ben. 
Par.  1679,  torn.  iii.  pars  in.  col.  634.  ED.] 


OF    THE    LORDS    SL'PPER.  4J 

dence,  by  his  unspeakable  and  invisible  grace,  that  is  fulfilled 
which  he  spake,  'Behold,  I  am  with  you  unto  the  end  of 
the  world.1  But  as  concerning  his  flesh  which  he  took  in 
his  incarnation ;  as  touching  that  which  was  born  of  the 
Virgin;  as  concerning  that  which  was  apprehended  by  the 
Jews,  and  crucified  upon  a  tree,  and  taken  down  from  the 
cross,  wrapped  in  linen  clothes,  and  buried,  and  rose  again, 
and  appeared  after  his  resurrection ;  as  concerning  that  flesh, 
he  said,  '  Ye  shall  not  ever  have  me  with  you/  Why  so  \ 
For,  as  concerning  his  flesh,  he  was  conversant  with  his  dis 
ciples  forty  days;  and,  they  accompanying,  seeing,  and  not 
following  him,  he  went  up  into  heaven,  and  is  not  here. 
By  the  presence  of  his  divine  majesty,  he  did  not  depart ; 
as  concerning  the  presence  of  his  divine  majesty,  we  have 
Christ  ever  with  us :  but,  as  concerning  the  presence  of  his 
flesh,  he  said  truly  to  his  disciples,  c  Ye  shall  not  ever 
have  me  with  you.1  For,  as  concerning  the  presence  of  his 
flesh,  the  church  had  him  but  a  few  days :  now  it  holdeth 
him  by  faith,  though  it  see  him  not.11 

Thus  much  St  Augustine  speaketh,  repeating  one  thing 
so  often;  and  all  to  declare  and  teach  how  we  should  un 
derstand  the  manner  of  Christ's  being  here  with  us,  which 
is  by  his  grace,  by  his  providence,  and  by  his  divine  nature ; 
and  how  he  is  absent  by  his  natural  body  which  was  born  of 
the  Virgin  Mary,  died,  and  rose  for  us,  and  is  ascended  into 
heaven,  and  there  sitteth,  as  it  is  in  the  articles  of  our 
faith,  on  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  thence,  (and  from 
none  other  place,  saith  St  Augustine)  he  shall  come  on  the 
latter  day,  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  At  the  which 
day,  the  righteous  shall  then  lift  up  their  heads:  and  the 
light  of  God's  truth  shall  so  shine,  that  falsehood  and  errors 
shall  be  put  unto  perpetual  confusion.  Righteousness  shall 
have  the  upper  hand,  and  truth  that  day  shall  bear  away  the 
victory ;  and  all  the  enemies  thereof  be  quite  overthrown,  to 
be  trodden  under  foot  for  evermore.  O  Lord,  Lord,  I  be 
seech  thee,  hasten  this  day.  Then  shalt  thou  be  glorified 
with  the  glory  due  unto  thy  holy  name  and  unto  thy  divine 
majesty ;  and  we  shah1  sing  unto  thee,  in  all  joy  and  felicity, 
laud  and  praise  for  evermore.  Amen. 

Here  now  would  I  make  an  end :  for  methinks  St  Augus- 


44  A     BRIEF    DECLARATION 

tine  is  in  this  matter  so  full  and  plain,  and  of  that  authority, 
that  it  should  not  need,  after  this  his  declaration,  being  so 
firmly  grounded  upon  God^s  word,  and  so  well  agreeing  with 
other  ancient  authors,  to  bring  in  for  the  confirmation  of  this 
matter  any  more.  And  yet  I  said,  I  would  allege  three  of 
the  Latin  church,  to  testify  the  truth  in  this  cause.  Now, 
therefore,  the  last  of  all  shall  be  Gelasius,  which  was  a 
bishop  of  Rome ;  but  one  that  was  bishop  of  that  see,  before 
the  wicked  usurpation  and  tyranny  thereof  spread  abroad 
and  burst  out  into  all  the  world.  For  this  man  was  before 
Bonifacius,  yea,  and  Gregory  the  First,  in  whose  days  both 
corruption  of  doctrine  and  tyrannical  usurpation  did  chiefly 
grow,  and  had  the  upper  hand. 

Gelasius,  in  an  epistle  of  the  two  natures  of  Christ, 
(contra  Eutyclien^  writeth  thus :  "  The  sacraments  of  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ,  which  we  receive,  are  godly  things, 
whereby,  and  by  the  same,  we  are  made  partakers  of  the 
divine  nature;  and  yet,  nevertheless,  the  substance  or  nature 
of  the  bread  and  wine  doth  not  depart  or  go  away1." 
Note  these  words,  I  beseech  you ;  and  consider,  whether  any 
thing  can  be  more  plainly  spoken,  than  these  words  against 
the  error  of  transubstantiation ;  which  is  the  ground  and 
bitter  root,  whereupon  spring  all  the  horrible  errors  before 
rehearsed. 

Wherefore,  seeing  that  the  falsehood  hereof  doth  appear 
so  manifestly  and  by  so  many  ways,  so  plainly,  so  clearly, 
and  so  fully,  that  no  man  needeth  to  be  deceived,  but  he 
that  will  not  see,  or  will  not  understand ;  let  us  all  that  do 
love  the  truth  embrace  it,  and  forsake  the  falsehood.  For 
he  that  loveth  the  truth  is  of  God:  and  the  lack  of  the 
love  thereof  is  the  cause  why  God  suffereth  men  to  fall  into 
errors,  and  to  perish  therein ;  yea,  and,  as  St  Paul  saith,  why 
he  sendeth  unto  them  illusions,  that  they  believe  lies,  unto 

\}  Certe  sacramenta,  quas  sumimus,  corporis  et  sanguinis  Christi, 
divina  res  est;  propter  quod  et  per  eadem,  divinae  efficimur  consortes 
naturae :  et  tamen  esse  non  desinit  substantia  vel  natura  panis  et  vini ; 
ct  certe  imago  et  similitudo  corporis  et  sanguinis  Christi  in  actione 
mysteriorum  celebrantur.  Gelasii  Op.  adv.  Eutych.  et  Nest,  de 
duab.  Christ.  Natur.  in  Bibliotheca  Patrum,  Colon.  1618.  Sec.  v. 
Part  in.  p.  671.  ED.] 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  45 

their  own  condemnation :  "  because  (saith  he)  they  loved  not 
the  truth;1 

This  truth,  no  doubt,  is  God's  word :   for  Christ  himself 
saith  unto   his    Father,    "Thy  word    is   truth."     The    love  John  xvii. 
and  light  whereof  Almighty  God  our  heavenly  Father  give 
us,  and  lighten  it  in  our  hearts  by  his  holy  Spirit,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Vincet  Veritas. 


PITEOUS  LAMENTATION 


OF  THE  MISERABLE  ESTATE 


OF    THE    CHURCH    IN    ENGLAND, 


IN  THE  TIME  OF  THE  LATE  RJEVOLT 
FROM  THE  GOSPEL. 


WRITTEN   BY 


NICHOLAS  RIDLEY, 


BISHOP   OF   LONDON. 


of  (Tljrist  in  (?nglanfte,  in  ttjc  time  of 

fHarp,  Uj^n^in  i0  contepnet)f  a  leatneD  com* 

pari0on  tiettpene  tljc  comfortatilt  troctrgme  of 

tftr  go^pclU  anH  tftr  traditions  of  t!jt  popp0f| 

religion;  tuitl)  an  instruction  fjotoc  tlje  true 

ougfjtr  to  tcljaue  Qimoelfe  in 
tfie  tptne  of  tr^ali—  Ujri?tten  &g 
tjat  Ujortt)^  martpr  of 
late 
of 


before  tf)i0  t|)me 
imprpntetr* 


anlr  allotoe*  according  to  tfte 
Iniunetions. 


LAMENTATION  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


and  la- 


ALAS  !  what  misery  is  thy  church  brought  unto,  0  Lord, 
at  this  day !  Where  of  late  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  truly 
preached,  was  read  and  heard  in  every  town,  in  every  church,  mented 
in  every  village ;  yea,  and  almost  every  honest  man's  house ; 
alas !  now  it  is  exiled,  and  banished  out  of  the  whole  realm. 
Of  late,  who  was  not  glad  to  be  taken  for  a  lover  of  God's 
word,  for'  a  reader,  for  a  ready  hearer,  and  for  a  learner  of 
the  same?  And  now,  alas,  who  dare  bear  any  open  counte 
nance  towards  it,  but  such  as  are  content  in  Christ's  cause, 
and  for  his  word's  sake,  to  stand  to  the  danger  and  loss  of 
all  that  they  have  2 

Of  late  there  was  to  be  found,  of  every  age,  of  every 
degree  and  kind  of  people,  that  gave  their  diligence  to  learn, 
as  they  could,  out  of  God's  word  the  articles  of  the  Chris 
tian  faith,  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  Lord's  prayer. 
The  babes  and  young  children  were  taught  these  things  of 
their  parents,  of  their  masters,  and  weekly  of  their  curates, 
in  every  church :  and  the  aged  folk,  wiiich  had  been  brought 
up  in  blindness,  and  in  ignorance  of  those  things  which 
every  Christian  is  bound  to  know,  when  otherwise  they  could 
not,  yet  they  learned  the  same,  by  often  hearing  their  chil 
dren  and  servants  repeating  the  same ;  but  now,  alas,  and 
alas  again,  the  false  prophets  of  Antichrist,  which  are  past 
all  shame,  do  openly  preach  in  pulpits  unto  the  people  of 
God,  that  the  catechism  is  to  be  counted  heresy :  whereby 
their  old  blindness  is  brought  home  again ;  for  the  aged  are 
afraid  of  the  higher  powers,  and  the  youth  is  abashed  and 
ashamed,  even  of  that  which  they  have  learned,  though  it 
be  God's  word,  and  dare  no  more  meddle. 

Of  late  in   every    congregation    throughout   all   England 
was  made  prayer  and    petition   unto   God,   to   be   delivered 

4 
[RIDLEY.] 


50 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 


of  religion 
in  the 
church. 


from  the  tyranny  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  all  his  detest 
able  enormities1;  from  all  false  doctrine  and  heresy:  and 
now,  alas !  Satan  hath  persuaded  England,  by  his  falsehood 
and  craft,  to  revoke  her  old  godly  prayer,  to  recant  the  same, 
and  provoke  the  fearful  wrath  and  indignation  of  God  upon 
her  own  pate. 

Of  Iate  bv  strait  laws  and  ordinances,  with  the  consent 
°^  ^ie  no1°les  an^  commonality,  and  full  agreement  and  council 
Of  the  prelates  and  clergy,  was  banished  hence  the  beast 
of  Babylon,  with  laws  (I  say),  and  with  oaths  and  all  means 
that  then  could  be  devised  for  so  godly  a  purpose :  but  now, 
alas !  all  these  laws  are  trodden  under  foot :  the  nobles, 
the  commonality,  the  prelates,  and  clergy,  are  quite  changed ; 
and  all  those  oaths,  though  they  were  herein  made  in  judge 
ment,  justice,  and  truth,  and  the  matter  never  so  good,  doth 
no  more  hold  than  a  bond  of  rushes,  or  of  a  barley  straw ; 

Jerem.iv.  nor  public  perjury  no  more  feareth  them,  than  a  shadow 
upon  the  wall. 

Of  late  it  was  agreed  in  England  of  all  hands,  according 
to  Paul's  doctrine  and  Christ's  commandment,  as  Paul  saith 

icor.xiv.  plain,  that  nothing  ought  to  be  done  in  the  church,  in  the 
public  congregation,  but  in  that  tongue  which  the  congre 
gation  could  understand,  that  all  might  be  edified  thereby, 
whether  it  were  common  prayer,  administration  of  the  sacra 
ments,  or  any  other  thing  belonging  to  the  public  ministry 
of  God's  holy  and  wholesome  word :  but,  alas  !  all  is  turned 
upside  down,  Paul's  doctrine  is  put  apart,  Christ's  command 
ment  is  not  regarded :  for  nothing  is  heard  commonly  in  the 
church,  but  in  a  strange  tongue,  that  the  people  doth  no 
thing  understand. 

Of  late  all  men  and  women  were  taught,  after  Christ's 
doctrine,  to  pray  in  that  tongue  which  they  could  understand, 
that  they  might  pray  with  heart  that  which  they  should 
speak  with  their  tongue :  now,  alas !  the  unlearned  people 
is  brought  in  that  blindness  again,  to  think  that  they  pray, 

[x  In  the  Litany  of  Edward  VI.  occurs  the  Petition  : 

Priest.    From  all  sedition  and  privy  conspiracy,  from  the  tyranny  of 

the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  all  his  detestable  enormities;  from  all  false 

doctrine,  &c.  &c. 

Ans.    Good  Lord,  deliver  us.    ED.] 


Ignorance 
in  prayer. 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  51 

when  they  speak  with  their  tongues,  they  cannot  tell  what, 
nor  whereof  their  heart  is  nothing  mindful  at  all,  for  that 
it  can  understand  never  a  whit  thereof. 

Of  late  the  Lord's  supper  was  duly  ministered  and  taught 
to  be  made  common  to  all  that  were  true  Christians,  with  SuPPer- 
thanksgiving  and  setting  forth  of  the  Lord's  death  and  pas 
sion,  until  his  returning  again  to  judge  both  quick  and 
dead  :  but  now,  alas  !  the  Lord's  table  is  quite  overthrown, 
and  that  which  ought  to  be  common  to  all  godly,  is  made 
private  to  a  few  ungodly,  without  any  kind  of  thanksgiving, 
or  any  setting  forth  of  the  Lord's  death  at  all,  that  the 
people  is  able  to  understand. 

Of  late  all  that  were  endued  with  the  Iteht  and  grace  The  sacra-  . 

O  &  ment  turned 

of  understanding   of  God's   holy   mysteries,   did  bless   God,  out  of  his 

•  '  right  use 

which  had  brought  them  out  of  that  horrible  blindness  and  and  kin(1- 
ignorance,  whereby  in  times  past  being  seduced  by  Satan's 
subtilties,  they  believed  that  the  sacrament  was  not  the  sacra 
ment,  but  the  thing  itself  whereof  it  is  a  sacrament  ;    that 


the  creature  was  the  Creator  ;  and  that  the  thing;  which  hath  creaturesfor 

°  the  Creator. 

neither  life  nor  sense,  (alas,  such  was  the  horrible  blindness  !) 
was  the  Lord  himself;  which  made  the  eye  to  see,  and  hath 
given  all  senses  and  understanding  unto  man.  But  now, 
alas  !  England  is  returned  again  like  a  dog  to  her  own  vomit 
and  spewing,  and  is  in  a  worse  case  than  ever  she  was:  for 
it  had  been  better  never  to  have  known  the  truth,  than  to 
forsake  the  truth  once  received  and  known:  and  now,  not 
only  that  light  is  turned  into  darkness,  and  God's  grace  is 
received  in  vain;  but  also  laws  of  death  are  made  by  high 
court  of  Parliament,  masterfully  to  maintain  by  sword,  fire, 
and  all  kind  of  violence,  that  heinous  idolatry,  wherein  that 
adoration  is  given  unto  the  lifeless  and  dumb  creature,  whicli 
is  only  due  unto  the  everliving  God  :  yea,  they  say,  they  can 
and  do  make  of  bread  both  man  and  God  by  their  transub- 
stantiation.  0  !  wicked  invention,  and  Satan's  own  brood  ! 

Of  late  was  the  Lord's  cup  at  his  table  distributed,  ac-  The  cup  de- 

,.  -  .  barred  from 

cording  to   his  own  commandment  by  his  express  words  in  the  minis- 
his  Gospel,  as  well  to  the  laity  as  to  the  clergy,  which  order  the  L°™ 
Christ's   church   observed  so   many  hundred  years  after,   as 
all  the  ancient  ecclesiastical  writers  do  testify,  without  con 
tradiction   of  any  one   of  them,   that   can  be  shewed,   unto 


52  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

this  day :  but  now,  alas  !  not  only  the  Lord's  commandment 
is  broken,  his  cup  is  denied  to  his  servants,  to  whom  he 
commanded  it  should  be  distributed,  but  also  with  the  same 
is  set  up  a  new  blasphemous  kind  of  sacrifice,  to  satisfy  and 
pay  the  price  of  sins,  both  of  the  dead  and  of  the  quick,  to 
the  great  and  intolerable  contumely  of  Christ  our  Saviour, 
his  death,  and  passion,  which  was  and  is  the  one  only  suf 
ficient  and  everlasting  available  sacrifice,  satisfactory  for 
all  the  elects  of  God,  from  Adam  the  first  to  the  last  that 
shall  be  born  in  the  end  of  the  world. 

Deut.v.  Of  late   that   commandment   of   God,    "Thou   shalt   not 

make  to  thyself  any  graven  image,  nor  any  similitude  or 
likeness  of  any  thing  in  heaven  above,  or  in  earth  beneath, 
or  in  the  water  under  the  earth,  thou  shalt  not  bow  down 
to  them  nor  worship  them,"  this  commandment  of  God,  I 
say,  was  graven1  almost  every  where  in  churches,  was  learned 
of  every  body,  both  young  and  old ;  whereupon  images  that 
provoked  the  simple  and  ignorant  people  unto  idolatry,  as  the 
wise  man  saith,  were  taken  out  of  the  churches,  and  straitly 
forbidden  that  none  should  any  where  either  bow  down  to 
them,  or  worship  them :  but  now,  alas !  God's  holy  word  is 
stockslnd'  blotted  an^  razed  out  of  churches,  and  stocks  and  stones  are 
stones,  [  gef.  Up  -m  £ne  pjace  thereof.  God  commanded  his  word  so 
to  be  ordered,  that  it  might  be  had  in  continual  remembrance 
at  all  times,  and  in  every  place ;  and  on  the  other  side  he 
forbad  images  and  idols,  so  to  be  either  made  or  set  in  any 
place,  where  any  should  bow  or  worship  them:  but  now, 
alas  !  that  which  God  commanded  is  not  passed  upon2,  and 
that  which  he  forbiddeth  is  masterfully  maintained  by  false 
hood  and  craft,  and  wickedly  upholden. 

Of  late  all  ministers  that  were  admitted  to  the  public 
office  and  ministry  of  God's  holy  word,  in  their  admission 
made  a  solemn  profession  before  the  congregation,  that  they 
should  teach  the  people  nothing,  as  doctrine  necessary  to 

t1  "Graven  almost  every  where  in  churches."  In  the  reign  of 
king  Edward  VI.  texts  of  Scripture  were  painted  in  most  of  the 
churches,  particularly  the  second  commandment,  and  1  John  v.  21, 
"  Babes,  keep  yourselves  from  images."  On  the  accession  of  Queen 
Mary  these  texts  were  erased.  ED.] 

£a  Regarded.    ED.] 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  53 

attain  eternal  salvation,  but  that  which  is  GocTs  own  holy 
word,  or  may  be  thereof  grounded  without  any  doubt,  where 
by  vanished  and  melted  away  of  themselves  many  vain,  yea, 
wicked  traditions  of  man,  as  wax  before  the  fire :  but  now 
at  one  brunt  they  are  revived,  and  are  in  full  hope  all  to 
return  again,  in  as  great  strength  as  ever  they  have  been. 
And  how  can  any  man  look  for  any  other  thing,  but  when 
you  have  received  the  head,  you  must  also  receive  the  whole 
body  withal;  or  else  how  can  the  head  abide?  The  head, 
under  Satan,  of  all  mischief  is  Antichrist  and  his  brood; 
and  the  same  is  he  which  is  the  Babylonical  beast.  The 
beast  is  he  whereupon  the  whore  sitteth.  The  whore  is 
that  city,  saith  John  in  plain  words,  which  hath  empire  over 
the  kings  of  the  earth.  This  whore  hath  a  golden  cup  of 
abominations  in  her  hand,  whereof  she  maketh  to  drink  the 
kings  of  the  earth,  ancl  of  the  wine  of  this  harlot  all  nations 
hath  drunk;  yea,  and  kings  of  the  earth  have  lain  by  this 
whore ;  and  merchants  of  the  earth,  by  virtue  of  her  pleasant 
merchandise,  have  been  made  rich. 

Now  what  city  is  there  in  the  whole  world,   that  when  The  whore 

J  of  Babylon 

John  wrote,  ruled  over  the  kings  of  the  earth;    or  what  city  w'th  her  cup 

&  J  ofabomina- 

can  be  read  of  in  any  time,  that  of  the  city  itself  dial-  tions  e.\- 
lenged  the  empire  over  the  kings  of  the  earth,  but  only  the  APOC.  x\ii. 
city  of  Rome,  and  that  since  the  usurpation  of  that  See  hath 
grown  to  her  full  strength?  And  is  it  not  read,  that  old  and 
ancient  writers  understood  Peter's  former  Epistle  to  be  writ 
ten  at  Rome,  and  it  to  be  called  of  him  in  the  same  Epistle, 
in  plain  terms,  Babylon  !  By  the  abominations  thereof,  I  un 
derstand  all  the  whole  trade  of  the  Romish  religion,  under 
the  name  and  title  of  Christ,  which  is  contrary  to  the  only 
rule  of  all  true  religion,  that  is,  God's  word.  What  word 
of  God  hath  that  devilish  drab,  for  the  maintenance  of  her 
manifold  abominations,  and  to  set  to  sale  such  merchandise, 
wherewith,  (alas,  the  madness  of  man  !)  the  wicked  harlot  hath 
bewitched  almost  the  whole  world?  Did  not  Peter,  the  true 
Apostle  of  Christ  (of  whom  this  stinking  strumpet  beareth 
herself  so  high,  but  falsely  and  without  all  just  cause),  did  not 
he,  I  say,  give  all  the  world  warning  of  her  pelf  and  trash,  of 
her  false  doctors  and  apostles  (for  this  whore  and  beast  will  be 
called  Domini®  Apostolicw,  whosoever  say  nay),  after  this 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

2  Pet.  ii.  manner  in  his  latter  Epistle  I  "  There  were  among  the  people 
in  times  past  false  prophets,  as  there  shall  be  also  among  you, 
in  time  to  come,  false  teachers,  which  shall  privily  bring  in 
pestilent  sects,  even  denying  the  Lord  which  hath  bought 
them,  and  redeemed  them,  procuring  to  themselves  swift, 
damnation;  and  many  shall  follow  their  damnable  ways,  by 
whom  the  way  of  truth  shall  be  railed  upon,  and  through 
covetousness  by  counterfeit  tales  or  sermons,  they  shall,  saith 
Peter,  make  merchandise  upon  you,  &c."  And  doth  not 
John  likewise  in  his  Revelation,  after  he  hath  reckoned  up 
a  great  rabblement  of  this  whore's  mystical  merchandise,  at 
the  last  (as  though  he  would  knit  up  all  in  plain  words, 
without  any  mist  at  all,  setting  out  the  whore's  merchan 
dise)  reckon  up  among  the  rest,  and  concludeth  saying,  et 
animas  hwninwn,  "and  the  souls  of  men  too?"  Whereupon 
AH  things  at  I  pray  you  else  rose  this  true  proverb,  Omnia  Romce  venalia, 
money.  "All  things  for  money  are  set  to  sale  at  Borne?"  Was 
not  that  a  worthy  commendation  of  Christ's  vicar  in  earth, 
that  was  written  of  our  holy  father,  one  of  the  Alexanders, 
a  bishop  of  Rome,  thus  I  ween  in  Latin : 

Vendit  Alexander  claves,  altaria,  Christum; 
Vendere  jure  potest,  emerat  Hie  prius. 

These  two  verses  in  Latin,  I  have  read  thus  of  one 
translated  into  English  rhyme : 

Verses  a-  Alexander  our  holy  father,  the  Pope  of  Rome, 

AiStndeT  Selleth  for  money  both  right  and  doom  : 

VI-  And  to  sale  the  holy  father  doth  not  stick  to  set 

All  kinds  of  holiness,  ready  money  for  to  get : 

And  eke  Christ  himself  he  dare  be  bold, 

To  chop  and  change  for  silver  and  gold. 

And  why  should  any  think  this  to  be  sore? 

For  what  doth  he  sell,  but  that  he  bought  before? 

I  grant  these  verses  to  be  light  gear,  and  the  verse  is 
but  rude ;  but,  alas !  such  conditions  were  more  wicked  and 
lewd  than  any  wit  could  express.  If  these  had  been  but 
the  faults  of  one  or  a  few  in  number,  they  had  been  less 
pernicious,  and  might  have  been  taken  for  personal  crimes, 
not  to  be  imputed  unto  that  See :  but  now,  alas,  the 
matter  is  more  than  evident  to  all  that  hath  godly  under 
standing,  that  these  crimes  be  grounded  upon  laws,  be  es- 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  55 

tablished  by  custom,  and  set  forth  by  all  kind  of  wicked 
doctrine,  falsehood,  and  craft :  and  therefore  are  not  now  to 
be  esteemed  for  any  one  man's  or  of  a  few  men's  personal 
crimes,  but  are  now  by  laws,  custom,  and  doctrine,  incorpo 
rated  into  that  wicked  See ;  and  maketh  indeed  the  body  of 
the  beast,  whereupon  the  abominable  whore  doth  sit. 

But  you  would  know,  which  be  those  merchandise,  which 
I  said  this  whore  setteth  forth  to  sell,  for  the  which  all  her 
false  prophets,  with  all  their  juggling?  and  crafty  gloses,  can 
not  bring  one  jot  of  God's  word.  Surely,  surely,  they  be 
not  only  all  these  abominations  which  are  come  into  the 
church  of  England  already  (whereof  I  have  spoken  somewhat 
before),  but  also  an  innumerable  rabblement  of  abominations 
and  wicked  abuses,  which  now  must  needs  follow :  as  Popish  wicked  % 
pardons,  pilgrimages,  Romish  purgatory,  Romish  masses,  see  of  Rome 
placebo  et  dirige,  with  trentals,  and  scala  cwli,  dispensations 
and  immunities  from  all  godly  discipline,  laws,  and  good  order, 
pluralities,  unions,  tot  quots,  with  a  thousand  more1. 

Now  shall  come  in  the  flattering  friars,  and  the  false 
pardoners,  and  play  their  old  pranks  and  knavery;  as  they 
were  wont  to  do.  Now  you  shall  have  (but  of  the  See  of 
Rome  only,  and  that  for  money)  canonizing  of  such  saints 
as  have  stood  stout  in  the  Pope's  cause,  shrining  of  relics, 
and  from  any  kind  of  wickedness,  if  you  will  pay  well  for 
it,  clear  absolution,  a  posna  et  culpa,  with  thousands  of 
years;  yea,  at  every  poor  bishop's  hands  and  suffragan,  ye 
shall  have  hallowing  of  churches,  chapels,  altars,  superaltars, 
chalices,  and  of  all  the  whole  household  stuff  and  adornment, 
which  shall  be  used  in  the  church  after  the  Romish  guise; 
for  all  these  things  must  be  esteemed  of  such  high  price, 
that  they  may  not  be  done,  but  by  a  consecrate  bishop  only. 
O  Lord,  all  these  things  are  such  as  thy  Apostles  never 
knevv\~_  ^s  ^or  conjuring  (they  call  it  hallowing,  but  it  is 
conjuring  indeed)  of  water  and  salt,  of  christening  of  bells3 
and  such  like  light  things,  what  need  I  to  speak  2  For  every 
priest  that  can  but  read,  hath  power,  they  say,  not  only 

[x  Placebo,  dirige,  etc.    See  note  C.  at  the  end  of  the  volume.    ED.] 
[2  The   forms  for  these  and    other  offices  may  be  found  in  the 
Ritualc  Romonum.    ED.] 


56  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

to  do  that,  but  also  hath  such  power  over  Christ's  body,  as 
to  make  God  and  man,  once  at  the  least  every  day,  of  a 
wafer-cake1. 

After  the  rehearsal  of  the  said  abominations,  and  re 
membrance  of  a  number  of  many  more,  which,  the  Lord 
knoweth,  irketh  me  to  think  upon,  and  were  too  long  to 
describe;  when  I  consider  on  the  other  side  the  eternal 
word  of  God,  that  abideth  for  ever,  and  the  undefined  law 
of  the  Lord,  which  turneth  the  soul  from  all  wickedness, 
and  giveth  wisdom  unto  the  innocent  babes;  I  mean  that 
milk  that  is  without  all  guile,  as  Peter  doth  call  it,  that  good 
The  true  word  of  God,  that  word  of  truth,  which  must  be  graven 

word  of  God,      .      . 

and  the       within  the  heart,  and  then  is  able  to  save  mens  souls;  that 

office  of  the 

samede-      wholesome  seed,  not  mortal  but  immortal,  of  the  eternal  and 

dared. 

everliving  God,  whereby  the  man  is  born  anew,  and  made 
the  child  of  God ;  that  seed  of  God,  whereby  the  man  of 
God,  so  being  born,  cannot  sin,  as  John  saith  (he  meaneth, 
so  long  as  that  seed  doth  abide  in  him)  ;  that  holy  Scripture 
which  hath  not  been  devised  by  the  wit  of  man,  but  taught 
from  heaven  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
is  profitable  to  teach,  to  reprove,  to  correct,  to  instruct,  and 
give  order  in  all  righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
whole  and  sound,  ready  to  perform  every  good  work ;  when, 
I  say,  I  consider  this  holy  and  wholesome  true  word,  that 
teacheth  us  truly  our  bounden  duty  towards  our  Lord  God 
in  every  point,  what  his  blessed  will  and  pleasure  is,  what 
his  infinite  great  goodness  and  mercy  is,  what  he  hath  done 
for  us,  how  he  hath  given  his  own  only  dear  beloved  to  death 
for  our  salvation,  and  by  him  hath  sent  us  the  revelation  of 
his  blessed  will  and  pleasure ;  what  his  eternal  word  willeth 
us  both  to  believe  and  also  to  do,  and  hath  for  the  same 
purpose  inspired  the  holy  Apostles  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
sent  them  abroad  into  all  the  world,  and  also  made  them, 
and  other  disciples  of  Christ,  inspired  by  the  same  Spirit,  to 
write  and  leave  behind  them  the  same  things  that  they 
taught,  which  as  they  did  proceed  of  the  Spirit  of  truth,  so 
by  the  confession  of  all  them  that  ever  were  endued  with  the 
Spirit  of  God,  were  sufficient  to  the  obtaining  of  eternal  sal- 

Q1  A  priest  of  the  Roman  church  may  perform  mass  once  a  day 
only,  and  then  fasting.    ED.] 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION".  57 

vation :  and  likewise  when  I  consider  that  all  that  man 
doth  profess  in  his  regeneration  when  he  is  received  into 
the  holy  catholic  church  of  Christ,  and  is  now  to  be  ac 
counted  for  one  of  the  lively  members  of  Christ's  own  body, 
all  that  is  grounded  upon  God's  holy  word,  and  standeth  in 
the  profession  of  that  faith,  and  obedience  of  those  command 
ments,  which  are  all  contained  and  comprised  in  God's  holy 
word:  and  furthermore,  when  I  consider  whom  our  Saviour 
Christ  pronounceth  in  his  Gospel  to  be  blessed,  and  to  whom 
Moses  giveth  his  benedictions  in  the  law;  what  ways  the 
law,  the  Prophets,  the  Psalms,  and  all  holy  Scriptures,  both 
new  and  old,  do  declare  to  be  the  ways  of  the  Lord ;  what 
is  good  for  man  to  obtain  and  abide  in  God's  favour;  which 
is  that  faith  that  justifieth  before  God;  and  what  is  that 
charity,  that  doth  pass  and  excel  all;  which  be  the  proper 
ties  of  heavenly  wisdom ;  and  which  is  that  undefined  religion 
that  is  allowed  of  God ;  which  things  Christ  himself  calleth 
the  weighty  matters  of  the  law;  what  thing  is  that  which 
is  only  available  in  Christ ;  and  what  knowledge  is  that,  that 
Paul  esteemed  so  much,  that  he  counted  himself  only  to 
know ;  what  shall  be  the  manner  of  the  extreme  judgment 
of  the  later  day;  who  shall  judge,  and  by  what  he  shall 
judge ;  and  what  shall  be  required  at  our  hands  at  that 
fearful  day;  how  all  things  must  be  tried  by  the  fire,  and 
that  that  only  shall  stand  for  ever,  which  Christ's  wrord  shall 
allow,  which  shall  be  the  judge  of  all  flesh,  to  give  sen 
tence  upon  all  flesh,  and  every  living  soul,  either  of  eternal 
damnation  or  everlasting  salvation,  from  which  sentence  there 
shall  be  no  place  to  appeal,  no  wit  shall  serve  to  delude, 
nor  no  power  to  withstand  or  revoke :  when,  I  say,  I  con 
sider  all  these  things,  and  confer  to  the  same  again  and 
again  all  those  ways  wherein  standeth  the  substance  of  the 
Romish  religion,  whereof  I  spake  before;  it  may  be  evi 
dent  and  easy  to  perceive,  that  these  two  ways,  these  two 
religions,  the  one  of  Christ,  the  other  of  the  Komish  See, 
in  these  latter  days,  be  as  far  distant  the  one  from  the 
other,  as  light  and  darkness,  good  and  evil,  righteousness 
and  unrighteousness,  Christ  and  Belial.  He  that  is  hard  of 
belief,  let  him  note  and  weigh  well  with  himself  the  places 
of  holy  Scriptures,  which  be  appointed  in  the  margent  where- 


58  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

upon  this  talk  is  grounded,  and  by  God's  grace  he  may  re- 
Note  here,    ceive  some  light.     And  unto  the  contemner  I  have  nothing 

that  these 

Prewritten  n°W  ^°  Sa^'   ^ut  ^°  renearse  ^ie  sajmg  °f  the   Prophet   Esay, 

In  tti(Mnariy  wn^c^  ^au^  sPake  to  the  Jews  in  the  end  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles.  After  he  had  expounded  unto  them  the  truth  of 
word,  and  declared  unto  them  Christ,  out  of  the  law 
Moses  anc*  ti16  Prophets,  from  morning  to  night,  all  the 
day  long,  he  said  unto  them  that  would  not  believe :  "  Well," 
said  he,  "  spake  the  Holy  Ghost  unto  our  fathers,  saying : 
Go  unto  this  people  and  tell  them,  ye  shall  hear  with  your 
ears,  and  not  understand,  and  seeing  you  shall  behold,  and 
not  see  the  thing ;  for  the  heart  of  this  people  is  waxed  gross 
or  dull,  and  with  their  ears  they  are  hard  of  hearing,  and 
they  have  shut  together  their  eyes,  that  they  should  not  see, 
nor  hear  with  their  ears,  nor  understand  with  their  hearts, 
that  they  might  return,  and  I  should  heal  them,  saith  the 
Lord  God1." 

Alas !  England,  alas !  that  this  heavy  plague  of  God  should 
fall  upon  thee.  Alas!  my  dear  beloved  country,  what  thing 
is  it  now  that  may  do  thee  good?  Undoubtedly  thy  plague 
is  so  great,  that  it  is  utterly  uncurable,  but  by  the  bottom 
less  mercy  and  infinite  power  of  Almighty  God.  Alas!  my 
dear  country,  what  hast  thou  done,  that  thus  thou  hast  pro 
voked  the  wrath  of  God,  to  pour  out  his  vengeance  upon 
thee  for  thine  own  deserts?  Canst  thou  be  content  to  hear 
thy  faults  told  thee?  Alas!  thou  hast  heard  oft,  and  wouldest 
never  amend.  England,  thy  faults  of  all  degrees  and  sorts 
of  men,  of  the  magistrates,  of  the  ministers,  and  of  the  com 
mon  people,  were  never  more  plainly  told,  since  thou  bearest 
that  name,  than  thou  didst  hear  them  of  late,  even  before 
the  magistrates,  in  King  Edward's  days,  but  thou  heardest 
them  only,  and  didst  amend  never  a  whit.  For  even  of  thy 
greatest  magistrates,  some  (the  King's  Highness  then,  that 
innocent,  that  godly-hearted  and  peerless  young  Christian 
Prince  excepted)  evermore  unkindly  and  ungently,  against 
those  that  went  about  most  busily  and  most  wholesomely  to 
cure  their  sore  backs,  spurned  privily,  and  would  not  spare  to 
speak  evil  of  them,  even  unto  the  prince  himself,  and  yet 

Q1  The  texts  are—Is,  vi.  9;  Mark  iv.  12;  Acts  xxviii.  25,  2G,  27.    ED.] 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  59 

would  they  towards  the  same  preacher  outwardly  bear  a  jolly 
countenance  and  a  fair  face. 

I  have  heard  that  Cranmer,  and  another  whom  I  will  not  g^J ;lieth 
name,  were   both  in  high  displeasure,  the  one  for  shewing 
his  conscience  secretly,  but  plainly  and  fully,  in  the  Duke 
Somerset's  cause,  and  both  of  late,  but  specially  Cranmer,  for  ;?aSe!set's 
repugning  as  they  might  against  the  late  spoil  of  the  church  p^in^ rt 
goods,  taken  away  only  by  commandment  of  the  higher  powers,  J^oifof  tile 
without  any  law  or  order  of  justice,  and  without  any  request  j 
of  consent  of  them  to  whom  they  did  belong.     As  for  Latimer, 
Lever,  Bradford,  and  Knox,  their  tongues  were  so  sharp,  they  fefej 
ripped  in  so  deep  in  their  galled  backs,  to  have  purged  them, 
no  doubt,  of  that  filthy   matter,  that  was  festered  in  their 
hearts,  of  insatiable  covetousness,  of  filthy  carnality  and  vo 
luptuousness,  of  intolerable  ambition  and  pride,    of  ungodly 
loathsomeness  to  hear  poor  men's  causes,  and  to  hear  God's 
word,  that  these  men,  of  all  other,  these  magistrates  then 
could  never  abide.     Other  there  were,  very  godly  men  and 
well  learned,  that  went  about  by  the  wholesome  plasters  of 
God's  word,  howbeit  after  a  more  soft  manner  of  handling 
the  matter ;  but,  alas !  all  sped  in  like.     For  all  that  could 
be  done  of  all  hands,  their  disease  did  not  minish,  but  daily 
did  increase,  which,  no  doubt,  is  no  small  occasion  in  that 
state,  of  the  heavy  plague  of  God,  that  is  poured  upon  Eng 
land  at  this  day.     As  for  the  common  sort  of  other  inferior 
magistrates,  as  judges   of  the   laws,  justices  of  peace,  ser- 
jeants,  common  lawyers,  it  may  be  truly  said  of  them,  as  of 
the  most  part  of  the  clergy,  of  curates,  vicars,  parsons,  pre-  The  corrupt 
bendaries,  doctors  of  the  law,  archdeacons,  deans,  yea,  and 
I  may  say,  of  bishops  also,   I  fear  me,  for  the  most  part, 
although  I  doubt  not  but  God  had  and  hath  ever,  whom  he 
in   every  state  knew   and  knoweth   to   be  his,  but  for  the 
most  part,  I  say,  they  were  never  persuaded  in  their  hearts, 
but  from  the  teeth  forward,  and  for  the  king's  sake,  in  the 
truth  of  God's  word ;  and  yet  all  these  did  dissemble,  and  bear 
a  copy  of  a  countenance,  as  if  they  had  been  sound  within. 

And  this  dissimulation  Satan  knew  well  enough,  and 
therefore  desired,  and  hath  ever  gone  about,  that  the  high 
magistrates  by  any  manner  of  means  might  be  deceived  in 
matters  of  religion;  for  then  he  being  of  counsel  with  the 


60 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 


dissimulation  in  the  worldly,  knew  well  enough  that  he  should 
bring  to  pass,  and  rule  all  even  after  his  own  will. 
Hypocrisy  a        Hypocrisy  and  dissimulation  St  Hierom  doth  call  well  a 

double  evil.  . 

double  wickedness,  for  neither  it  loveth  the  truth  (which  is 
one  great  evil),  and  also  falsely  it  pretendeth,  to  deceive  the 
simple,  for  another  thing1.  This  hypocrisy  and  dissimulation 
with  God  in  matters  of  religion,  no  doubt,  hath  wholly  also 
provoked  the  anger  of  God.  And  as  for  the  common  people, 
although  there  were  many  good,  where  they  were  well  and 
diligently  taught ;  yet,  God  knoweth  a  great  number  received 
God's  true  word  and  high  benefits  with  unthankful  hearts. 
For  it  was  great  pity  and  a  lamentable  thing,  to  have  seen 
in  many  places  the  people  so  loathsomely  and  so  unreligiously 
to  come  to  the  holy  communion,  and  to  receive  it  accord 
ingly,  and  to  the  common  prayers,  and  other  divine  service, 
which  were  according  to  the  true  vein  of  God's  holy  word 
in  all  points  so  godly  and  wholesomely  set  forth,  in  com 
parison  of  that  blind  zeal  and  indiscreet  devotion,  which  they 
had  aforetimes  to  those  things,  whereof  they  understood  never 
one  whit,  nor  could  be  edified  by  them  any  thing  at  all. 
The  slack-  And  again,  as  for  alms  deeds,  which  are  taught  in  God's 
was  in  that  word  (whereby  we  are  certain  that  God  is  pleased  with  them, 
works.  °  and  doth  and  will  require  such  at  our  hands,  which  are  a 
part  of  true  religion,  as  St  James  saith,  and  such  as  he 
saith  himself  he  setteth  more  by  than  by  sacrifice,  as  to 
provide  for  the  fatherless,  infants  and  orphans,  for  the  lame, 
aged,  and  impotent  poor  needy  folk,  and  to  make  public 
provision  that  the  poverty  that  might  labour,  should  have 
wherewith  to  labour  upon,  and  so  be  kept  from  shameful 
beggary  anc^  stealing),  in  these  works,  I  say,  how  wayward 
were  many,  in  comparison  (I  mean)  of  that  great  prodi 
gality,  whereby  in  times  past  they  spared  not  to  spend  upon 
flattering  friars,  false  pardoners,  painting  and  gilding  of  stocks 
and  stones,  to  be  set  up  and  honoured  in  churches,  plainly 
against  God's  word.  And  yet  because  no  place  is  to  be  de 
frauded  of  their  just  commendation,  (in)  London,  I  must  con 
fess,  that  such  godly  works,  in  Sir  Richard  Dobs,  knight, 
then  lord  mayor,  his  year,  began  marvellous  well :  the  Lord 
grant  the  same  may  so  likewise  persevere,  continue,  yea, 
Q1  And  it  deceiveth  the  people,  which  is  another  evil.  ED.] 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 


61 


and  increase,   to   the   comfort   and  relief  of  the  needy  and 
helpless,  that  was  so  godly  begun.     Amen. 

All  these  things  do  minister  matter  of  more  mourning 
and  bewailing  the  miserable  state  that  now  is ;  for  by  this 
it  may  be  perceived,  how  England  hath  deserved  this  just 
plague  of  God.  And  also  it  is  greatly  to  be  feared  that 
those  good  things,  whatsoever  they  were,  that  had  their  be 
ginning  in  the  time  when  God's  word  was  freely  preached,  / 
now  with  the  exile  and  banishment  of  the  same  they  will 
depart  again. 

But  to  return  again  to  the  consideration  of  this  miser 
able  state  of  Christ's  church  in  England,  and  to  leave  fur 
ther  and  more  exquisite  searching  of  the  causes  thereof  unto 
God's  secret  and  unsearchable  judgments,  let  us  see  what  is 
best  now  to  be  done  for  Christ's  little  2silly  flock.     This  is 
one  maxim  and  principle  in  Christ's  law :  "  He  that  denieth 
me  before  men,  him  shall  Christ  deny  afore  his  Father,  and 
all   his  angels   of  heaven."     And  therefore   every   one   that  He  exhort- 
looketh   to   have   by  Christ  our  Saviour  everlasting  life,  let  stantcon"" 
him  prepare  himself  so,  that  he  deny  not  his  master  Christ,  Christ! 
or  else  he  is  but  a  castaway  and  a  wretch,  howsoever  he  be 
counted  or  taken  here  in  the  world. 

Now  then,  seeing  the  doctrine  of  Antichrist  is  returned 
again  into  this  realm,  and  the  higher  powers  (alas!)  are  so 
deceived  and  bewitched,  that  they  are   persuaded   it  to   be 
truth,  and  Christ's  true  doctrine  to  be  error  and  heresy,  and 
the   old  laws  of  Antichrist  are  allowed  to  return  with  the 
power  of  their  father  again;   what  can  be  hereafter  looked 
for  by  reason,  to  the  man  of  God  and  true  Christian  abid 
ing  in  this  realm,  but  extreme  violence  of  death,  or  else  to 
deny  his  Master  ?  I  grant  the  hearts  of  princes  are  in  God's 
hands,  and  whithersoever  he  will,  he  can  make  them  to  bow ; 
and  also  that  Christian  princes  in  old  time  used  a  more  gentle  Punishment 
kind  of  punishment,  even  to  them  which  were  heretics  in-  more  gentle 
deed,  as  degradation,  and  deposition  out  of  their  rooms  and  t£ne,eand 
offices ;    exile   and   banishment   out   of  their   dominions   and  used, 
countries;    and    also   (as   it    is    read)    the    true    bishops    of 
Christ's  church  were  sometime  intercessors  for  the  heretics 
unto  princes,  that  they  would  not  kill  them,  as  is  read  of 
[3  Sec  page  G,  foot-note.    ED.] 


62 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 


St  Augustine.  But  as  yet  Antichrist's  kingdom  was  not  so 
erected  at  that  time,  nor  is  now  accustomed  so  to  order 
them,  that  will  not  fall  down  and  worship  the  beast  and 
his  image ;  but  even  as  all  the  world  knoweth,  after  the 
same  manner  that  both  John  and  Daniel  hath  prophesied 
before,  that  is,  by  violence  of  death:  and  Daniel  declareth 
farther,  the  kind  of  death  accustomably  should  be  by  sword, 
fire,  and  imprisonment. 

Therefore  if  thoti,  O  man  of  God,  do  purpose  to  abide 
in  this  realm,  prepare  and  arm  thyself  to  die :  for  both  by 
Antichrist's  accustomable  laws,  and  these  prophecies,  there  is 
no  appearance  or  likelihood  of  any  other  thing,  except  thou 
wilt  deny  thy  Master  Christ,  which  is  the  loss  at  the  last, 
both  of  body  and  soul,  unto  everlasting  death.  Therefore, 
my  good  brother  or  sister  in  Christ,  whatsoever  thou  be, 
to  thee  that  canst  and  mayest  so  do,  that  counsel  that  I 
think  is  the  best  safeguard  for  thee,  both  for  thy  body,  and 
most  surety  for  thy  souFs  health,  is  that  which  I  shall  shew 
thee  hereafter.  But  first  I  warn  thee  to  understand  me,  to 
speak  to  him  or  her  which  be  not  in  captivity,  or  called 
already  for  to  confess  Christ,  but  is  at  liberty  abroad. 
counsel  My  counsel,  I  say,  therefore  is  this,  to  fly  from  the  plague, 

these  days    and  to  get  thee  hence.     I  consider  not  only  the  subtleties  of 

ofpersecn-  '  f  ^ 

tionwhatto  Satan,  and  how  he  is  able  to  deceive  by  his  false  persua 
sions,  if  it  were  possible,  even  the  chosen  of  God,  and  also 
the  great  frailty,  which  is  oftentimes  more  in  a  man,  than 
he  doth  know  in  himself,  which  in  the  time  of  temptation 
then  will  utter  itself — I  do  not  only  consider  these  things, 
I  say,  but  that  our  Master  Christ,  whose  life  was  and  is 
a  perfect  rule  of  the  Christian  man's  life,  that  he  himself 
avoided  oftentimes  the  fury  and  madness  of  the  Jews,  by 
departing  from  the  country  or  place. 

such  as  re-        Paul  likewise,  when  he  was  sought  in  Damascus,  and  the 

mained  out  .      .  . 

of  captivity,  gates  of  the  city  were  laid  in  wait  for  him,  he  was  conveyed 

counselled     6  J  .  J 

to  depart  the  by  night,  let  down  in  a  basket  out  at  a  window  over  the  wall : 
and  Helias,  the  Prophet,  fled  the  persecution  of  wicked  Jeza- 
bel.  And  Christ  our  Saviour  saith  in  the  Gospel,  "  When 
they  persecute  you  in  one  city,  flee  unto  another : "  and  so 
did  many  good,  great,  learned,  and  virtuous  men  of  God, 
which  were  great  and  stout  champions  nevertheless,  and  stout 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  63 

confessors  and  maintainers  of  Christ  and  his  truth,  in  clue 
time  and  place.  Of  such  was  the  great  clerk  Athanasius. 
But  this  is  so  plain  to  be  lawful  by  God's  word,  and  exam 
ples  of  holy  men,  that  I  need  not  to  stand  in  it. 

Having  this  for  my  ground,  I  say  to  thee,  O  man  of  God, 
this  seemeth  to  me  to  be  the  most  sure  way  for  thy  safe 
guard,  to  depart  and  flee  far  from  the  plague,  and  that  swiftly 
also:  for  truly,  before  God,  I  think  that  the  abomination 
that  "Daniel  prophesied  of  so  long  before,  is  now  set  up  in 
the  holy  place.  For  all  Antichrist's  doctrine,  laws,  rites, 
and  religion,  contrary  to  Christ,  and  of  the  true  serving  and 
worshipping  of  God,  I  understand  to  be  that  abomination :  Enslana- 
therefore  now  is  the  time  in  England  for  those  words  of 
Christ,  Tune,  inquit,  qui  in  Judea  sunt  fuglant  ad  monies. 
"  Now  then,"  saith  Christ,  "  let  those  that  be  in  Judea  fly 
to  the  mountains."  "  Then,"  saith  he, — mark  this  Christ's 
"  then" ;  for  truly  I  am  persuaded,  and  I  trust  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  that  this  "then"  is  commanded — "then,  saith  Christ, 
they  that  be  in  Jewry,  let  them  flee  into  the  mountains,  and 
he  that  is  on  the  house-top,  let  him  not  come  down  to  take 
away  any  thing  out  of  his  house;  and  he  that  is  abroad  in 
the  field,  let  him  not  return  to  take  his  clothes.  Woe  be  to 
the  great-bellied  women,  and  to  them  that  give  suck!  but 
pray,  saith  Christ,  that  your  flight  be  not  in  winter,  or  on 
the  Sabbath-day." 

These  words  of  Christ  are  mystical,  and  therefore  have 
need  of  interpretation.  I  understand  all  those  to  be  in  Jewry 
spiritually,  which  truly  confess  one  true  living  God,  and  the 
whole  truth  of  his  word,  after  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  Such  are  they  whom  Christ  here  biddeth,  in  the 
time  of  the  reign  of  Antichrist's  abominations,  to  flv  unto  Christ  com- 

,  .  .  ..„.        .  mandeth  to 

the  mountains :   which  sijmifieth  places  of  safeguard,  and  all  %  to  the 

O  w*rtii<n  +  ni«-t. 

such  things  which  are  able  to  defend  from  the  plague:  that 
he  biddeth  him  that  is  on  the  house-top,  not  come  down; 
nor  him  that  is  in  the  field,  not  to  return  to  take  with  him 
his  clothes — he  meaneth  that  they  should  speed  them  to  get 
them  away  betimes,  lest  in  their  tarrying,  and  trifling  about 
worldly  provision,  they  be  trapped  in  the  snare  or  ever  they 
be  aware,  and  caught  by  the  back,  and  for  gain  of  small 
worldly  things  endanger  and  cast  themselves  into  great  perils 


mountains. 


64  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

of  more  weighty  matters.  And  where  he  saith,  Woe  be  to 
great-bellied  women,  and  to  them  that  give  suck;  women 
great  with  child,  and  nigh  to  their  lying  down  and  to  be 
brought  to  bed,  are  not  able  to  travel :  nor  also  those  women, 
which  are  brought  to  bed,  and  now  give  their  babes  suck. 
By  these  therefore  Christ  spiritually  understandeth  all  such  as 
be  in  extreme  danger,  which  this  word  "  woe"  signifieth :  all 
such,  I  say,  as  are  so  letted  by  any  manner  of  means,  that 
they  no  ways  be  able  to  fly  from  the  plague.  That  which 
Christ  saith,  "  Pray  you  that  your  flight  be  not  in  the  winter, 
nor  on  the  Sabbath-day :"  in  winter,  the  common  course  of 
the  year  teacheth  us,  that  the  ways  be  foul,  and  therefore 
it  is  a  hard  thing  then  to  take  a  far  journey,  for  many  in- 
commodities  and  dangers  of  the  ways  in  that  time  of  the 
year ;  and  on  the  Sabbath-day  it  was  not  lawful  to  journey, 
but  a  little  way.  Now  Christ  therefore,  meaning  that  we 
should  have  need,  both  to  speed  our  journey  quickly,  which 
cannot  be  done  in  the  winter,  for  the  incommodities  of  the 
ways,  and  also  to  go  far,  which  cannot  be  done  on  the  Sab 
bath-day  ;  he  biddeth  us  therefore  pray  that  our  flight  be 
not  in  winter,  nor  on  the  Sabbath-day:  that  is,  to  pray  that 
we  may  fly  in  time,  and  also  far  enough  from  the  danger 
of  the  plague.  Now  the  causes  why  we  should  fly  followeth 

Matt.xxiv.  in  the  same  place  of  St  Matthew's  Gospel,  which  I  now 
pass  over:  thou  mayest  read  them  there. 

Apoc.xviii.  And  in  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  the  Revelation,  the 
angel  is  said  to  have  cried  mightily  with  a  loud  voice :  "  Fly, 
my  people,  out  of  Babylon,  lest  you  be  infected  with  her 
faults,  and  so  be  made  partners  of  her  plagues:  for  her 
offences  and  sins  are  grown  so  great,  that  they  swell  and  are 
come  unto  the  heaven:  certainly  the  time  doth  approach, 
and  the  Lord's  day  is  at  hand."  Hear,  I  beseech  you,  also 
holy  Paul,  that  blessed  Apostle:  he  plainly  forbiddeth  us 
ducere  jugum  cum  incredulis,  that  is,  to  join  or  couple  our- 

2Cor.vL  selves  with  the  unfaithful;  "for  what  fellowship  can  there 
be,"  saith  he,  "  of  righteousness  with  unrighteousness ;  what 
company  hath  light  with  darkness;  or  what  agreement  hath 
Christ  with  Belial;  or  what  part  can  the  faithful  have  with 
the  unfaithful;  or  how  doth  the  temple  of  God  agree  with 
images  or  idols?  for  you  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God: 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  00» 

as  God  hath  said,  I  will  walk  and  dwell  in  them ;  I  will  be 
their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people :  wherefore  depart 
from  amongst  them,  and  get  you  from  them,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  touch  no  unclean  thing;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  be 
to  you  in  the  stead  of  your  father,  and  you  shall  be  unto 
me  as  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Almighty  Lord." 

This  counsel  to  depart  the  realm,  I  do  not  marvel  if  it 
do  seem  to  divers  (even  of  them,  I  mean,  that  bear  favour 
to  God-ward)  diversely.  Many,  I  trust,  that  be  learned  shall 
think  the  counsel  good.  Others  there  be  peradventure,  that 
will  think  it  rather  a  thing  to  be  more  tolerable,  and  that  it 
may  be  indeed  by  God's  word  lawfully  done,  rather  than  to 
be  counselled  to  be  done ;  for  they  will  peradventure  say,  we 
should  counsel  a  man  always  to  do  that,  which  is  best  of  all 
and  of  most  perfection :  but  boldly  in  Christ's  cause  to  spend 
a  man's  life  is  best  of  all  and  of  most  perfection,  and  to  JJ^JI/y 
fly  it  may  seem  to  smell  of  cowardness.  In  many  things,  debated. 
that  which  is  best  for  one  at  some  times  is  not  best  for 
all  at  all  times ;  and  it  is  not  most  perfection,  nor  meet  for 
a  child  to  covet  to  run  before  he  can  go.  I  will  not  here 
make  a  discourse  in  this  matter,  what  might  here  be  ob 
jected,  and  what  might  be  answered  again:  I  leave  that  to 
the  witty  and  eloquent  men  of  the  world. 

This  is  my  mind,  which  I  would  thou  shouldest  know, 
0  man  of  God,  as  I  would  wish ;  and  I  do  pray  to  Almighty 
God  it  may  be,  that  every  true  Christian,  either  brother  or 
sister  (after  they  be  called,  and  brought  into  the  wrestling 
place,  to  strive  in  Christ's  cause  for  the  best  game,  that  is, 
to  confess  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  and  of  the  Christian  faith, 
in  hope  of  everlasting  life),  should  not  shrink,  not  relent  one 
inch^  or  give  back,  whatsoever  shall  befall,  but  stand  to  their 
tackle,  and  stick  by  it  even  unto  death,  as  they  will  Christ 
shall  stick  by  them  at  the  latter  day:  so  likewise,  I  dare 
not  wish  nor  counsel  any,  either  brother  or  sister,  of  their  Presump- 

.  *.  tuous  provo. 

own  swing  to  start  up  into  the  stage,  or  to  cast  themselves  cation,  and 
either  before  or  farther  in  danger  than  time  and  need  shall  ninjr  into 

danger,  for- 

require.     For  undoubtedly  when  God  seeth  his  time,  and  his  bidden, 
pleasure  is,  that  his  glory  shall  be  set  forth  and  his  church 
edified  by  thy  death  and  confession,  means  shall  be  found  by 
Jiis   fatherly  universal  Providence,  that   thou,  without   thine 

5 
[RIDLEY.] 


66  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

own  presumptuous  provocation,  shalt  be  lawfully  called  to  do 
thy  feat  and  to  play  thy  part.  The  miserable  end  that  one 
Quintus  came  unto,  may  be  a  warning  and  a  fearful  exam 
ple,  for  all  men  to  beware  of  presumption  and  rashness  in  such 

Eccies*  His  things,  as  Eusebius  writeth  in  Eccles.  Historia,  for  evermore. 

Ca^is  -^u*  a  third  sort  of  men  there  be,  which  also  will  be 

counted  favourers  of  God's  word,  and  are,  I  fear,  in  number 
far  more,  and  worse  to  be  persuaded  to  that  which  is  the 
godly  mean :  I  mean,  of  such  as  will  peradventure  say  or 
think,  that  my  former  counsel,  which  was  to  flee  the  in 
fection  of  the  antichristian  doctrine  by  departure  out  of  the 
realm,  is  more  than  needeth,  and  other  ways  and  means  may 
be  found,  both  to  abide,  and  also  to  be  clear  out  of  danger 
of  the  foresaid  plague.  If  that  could  be  found  indeed  truly 
/  agreeable  to  God's  word,  I  would  be  as  glad  to  hear  it, 
God  is  my  witness,  as  who  is  the  other.  Yes,  peradventure, 
will  some  say,  thus  it  may  be.  Thou  mayest  keep  thyself, 
thy  faith,  and  thy  religion  close  to  thyself,  and  inwardly  and 
privately  worship  God  in  spirit  and  truth,  and  outwardly  see 
thou  be  no  open  meddler,  nor  talker,  nor  transgressor  of  com 
mon  order :  so  mayest  thou  be  suffered  in  the  commonwealth, 
and  yet  use  thy  religion  without  offence  of  thy  conscience. 

Conscience  In   other   countries   somewhere   this   peradventure  might   be 

would  not     used :  but  in  England  what  shall  be,  God  wot ;  but  it  was 

be  dissem 
bled,  never  yet,  so  far  as  ever  I  have  known  or  heard.     And  also 

how  can  it  be,  but  either  thou  must  transgress  the  common 
order,  and  the  Komish  laws  and  customs,  which  have  been 
used  in  England  in  the  times  past  of  Popery,  and  now,  it 
is  certain,  they  return  again :  I  say,  thou  must  either  be  a 
breaker  of  these  rites,  laws  and  customs,  and  so  bewray  thy 
self;  or  else  if  thou  be  indeed  a  man  of  God,  thou  shalt 
offend  thy  conscience ;  for  in  observing  of  them,  thou  shalt 
be  compelled  to  break  God's  law,  which  is  the  rule  of  con 
science  to  the  man  of  God.  For  how  canst  thou  resort 
every  holy  day  to  the  church,  and  bear  a  face  to  worship 
the  creature  for  the  Creator,  as  thou  must  do,  and  perad 
venture  confess  it  too  with  thy  mouth,  and  to  sprinkle  thyself 
with  their  conjured  water? 

Thou  must  be  contributor  also  to  the  charges  of  all  their 
popery,  as  of  books  for  Antichrist's  service,  of  lights  of  the 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  67 

roodloft,  of  the  sepulchre,  for  setting  up  and  painting  of 
images,  nay  indeed  of  idols,  and  thou  must  bear  a  face  to 
worship  them  also,  or  else  thou  must  be  had  by  the  back1. 
Thou  must  serve  the  turn,  to  give  the  holy  loaves,  as  they 
call  it,  which  is  nothing  else  but  a  very  mockery  of  the  Lord's 
holy  table.  Thou  must  be  a  contributor  to  the  charges  of 
all  the  disguised  apparel,  that  the  popish  sacrificing  priest, 
like  unto  Aaron,  must  play  his  part  in.  Yea,  when  the  par 
doner  cometh  about,  or  the  flattering  friar,  to  beg  for  the 
maintenance  of  superstition,  except  thou  do  as  thy  neigh 
bours  do,  look  not  long  for  to  live  in  rest.  If  any  of  the 
household  die,  if  thou  wilt  not  pay  money  for  ringing  and 
singing,  for  requiem,  masses,  dirige,  and  commendations,  and 
such-like  trumpery  of  the  antichristian  religion,  thinkest  thou 
that  thou  shalt  be  reckoned  for  a  catholic  man,  or  for  ami-  A  hard 

dwelling  in 

cus   Ccesaris  ?      A   hundred   things   more   may  be  reckoned,  England  for 

0  *  a  good  man, 

and  many  of  more  weight,  and  of  more  evident  superstition  either  with- 

»  .  out  danger 

and  idolatry',   than    some    of   these   which   I   have   now  re-  of  con- 

» 7  p  science  or 

hearsed,  which  God  knoweth  be  ill  enough:  but  these  are  peril  of  life. 
enough  to  declare,  and  to  set  before  thine  eyes  the  thing 
that  I  intend;  that  is,  if  thou  abide  and  wilt  dwell  in 
England,  thou  must  either  do  these,  and  many  other  more 
contrary  to  God's  word,  which  forbiddeth  not  only  the  thing 
which  is  evil,  but  also  saith,  ab  omni  specie  mail  abstinete  vos, 
"  Abstain  from  all  things  that  have  any  appearance  of  evil ;" 
or  else,  if  thou  wilt  not  do  them,  how  thou  canst  live  in 
England  in  rest  and  safe  from  the  stake,  truly  I  cannot  tell. 

But  peradventure  (as  a  man  is  ready  to  find  and  invent 
some  colour  to  cloke  his  conscience,  to  do  that  thing  that  his 
heart  dcsireth)  thou  wilt  say,  Though  at  any  time  I  shall  be 
forced  to  do  any  of  these  things  and  such-fike,  yet  will  I  have 
no  confidence  in  them,  but  outwardly  with  my  body;  I  will 
keep  mine  heart  unto  God,  and  will  not  do  that  of  mine  own 
mind  willingly,  neither  but  to  avoid  another  inconvenience : 
I  trust  therefore  God  will  hold  me  excused,  for  he  shall  have 
my  heart — what  can  I  do  more? 

O  my  friend,  beware  for  God's  sake,  and  know  that  the  invent  not 
subtleties  of  Satan  are  deep.     He  that  is  not  able  by  God's 
word  to  perceive  them,  is  heavily  laden ;  pray  therefore  with 
[*  Be  imprisoned.     ED.] 


68  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

David :  "  Lord,  let  me  not  have  a  mind  to  invent  excuses 
for  to  cloke  my  sin."  Examine,  my  dear  friend,  these  thy 
wily  ways  with  the  word  of  God,  and  if  they  do  agree,  thou 
mayest  use  them :  if  not,  know,  though  they  may  seem  never 
so  fine  and  goodly,  yet  indeed  they  be  of  Satan's  brood.  God's 
word  is  certain,  that  forbiddeth  to  worship  the  creature  for 
the  Creator ;  for  that  is  heinous  idolatry,  and  against  the  first 
commandment  of  God.  And  it  is  also  against  the  second 
commandment  of  the  first  table  to  bow  down,  or  to  do  wor 
ship,  unto  any  images  of  God  or  of  any  other  thing :  and 
God's  word  requireth  not  only  the  belief  of  the  heart,  but 
also  the  confession  of  the  mouth.  And  to  bear  part  of  the 
charges  to  the  maintenance  of  things  ungodly,  what  is  that 
but,  in  thy  so  doing,  a  consent  to  the  thing  done?  Now 
consenters  and  the  doers,  God's  word  accounteth  to  be  guilty 
both.  And  it  is  not  lawful  by  St  Paul's  doctrine,  which  was 
inspired  him  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  do  ill,  that  thereof  the 
thing  which  is  good  may  come. 

Thy  heart,  thou  sayest,  God  shall  have,  and  yet  wilt  thou 
suffer  thy  body  to  do  the  thing  that  God  doth  abhor.  Be 
ware,  0  man;  take  heed  what  thou  sayest.  Man  may  be 
deceived,  but  no  man  may  deceive  God,  for  he  is  called,  and 
is  truly,  KapSioyvuxTTrjs,  that  is  to  say,  "the  Searcher  of  the 
heart."  Now,  to  give  God  thy  heart  is  to  give  him  thy 
whole  heart,  to  love  him,  to  dread  him,  and  to  trust  in  him 
above  all  other  things.  "  He  that  hath  my  commandments," 
saith  Christ,  "and  observeth  and  keepeth  them,  it  is  he  that 
loveth  me :"  and  to  dread  God  above  all  other,  is  rather  wil 
lingly  to  incur  the  danger  and  peril  of  all  fearful  things,  than 
willingly  to  do  that  thing  which  is  contrary  to  his  blessed  will 
TO  trust  in  and  commandment;  and  to  trust  in  him  above  all  things,  is 

God,  what  it 

is.  assuredly  to  trust  to  his  promise  of  his  reward,  and  of  his 

tuition,  and  of  his  goodness  and  mercy,  and  to  prefer  that 
above  all  things  in  the  world,  seem  they  never  so  strong,  so 
wise,  or  so  good.  Now  how  canst  thou  say  truly,  that  God 
hath  thy  heart  after  this  manner  of  sort  (which  is  to  have 
thy  heart  indeed),  when  thy  deeds  do  declare  far  another 
thing?  Thy  body,  0  man,  is  God's,  and  all  the  parts  thereof, 
even  as  thy  soul  is ;  he  made  them  both,  and  Christ  with  his 
blood  hath  redeemed  them  both,  and  is  Lord  of  both,  for  he 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  69 

hath  bought  them  both    dear;    and  darest  thou  suffer  any 
parts  of  either  of  them  to  do  service  to  Satan?     Surely   in 
so  doing,  thou  committest  sacrilege  and  dost  rob  God ;  thou 
defilest  the  lively  temple   of  the  living   God,  if  thou   suffer  i  Cor.  iii. 
thy    body  to  do  Satan  service.     "Do   you  not  know,  saith  i  cor.  vi. 
St  Paul,  that  your  body  is  a  lively  temple  of  God  ?"     And 
may  a  man  then  take  and  use  any  part  thereof  but  in  the 
service  of  God?     No  surely,  it  is  not  lawful  so  to  do  for  the 
man  of  God,  neither  with  hand,  tongue,  nor  foot,   nor  any 
part  of  the  whole  body. 

Doth  not  Paul  command  to  the  Romans,  which  pertaineth 
to  every  Christian  soul:  "As  you  have  in  times  past,"  saith  Rom. vi. 
he,  "given  your  members  to  do  service  unto  uncleanness  and 
wickedness,  from  one  wickedness  to  another ;  so  now  give  your 
members  to  do  service  unto  righteousness,  that  you  may  be 
sanctified."  And  I  pray  thee,  good  brother,  what  dost  thou 
think  is  to  bear  the  mark  of  the  beast  in  the  forehead  and 
in  the  hand,  that  St  John  speaketh  of?  I  know  we  ought 
warily  to  speak  of  God's  mysteries,  which  be  shewed  by  the 
spirit  of  prophesying  to  his  servant  John ;  yet  to  read  them 
with  reverence,  and  to  pray  for  the  understanding  of  the 
same  so  much  as  God  knoweth  is  necessary  for  our  time  to 
know,  I  think  it  necessary  and  good.  Wherefore  what  I 
suppose  is  to  bear  the  beast's  mark,  I  will  tell  thee,  and 
commit  the  judgment  of  mine  interpretation,  as  in  all  other 
things,  to  the  spiritual  man.  I  suppose  he  beareth  the  beast  JJl°ebbeaar  t, 
of  Babylon's  mark  in  his  forehead,  which  is  not  ashamed  of  ™»jk» what 
the  beast's  ways,  but  will  profess  them  openly  to  set  forth 
his  master  the  beast  Abaddon.  And  likewise  he  beareth  his  Apoc.xm. 
mark  in  his  hand,  that  will  and  doth  practise  the  works  of 
the  beast  with  his  power  and  hand. 

And  likewise  I  will  not  let  to  tell  thee,  what  I  think  to 
be  signed  in  the  forehead  for  the  servant  of  God,  whereof 
John  also  speaketh,  reckoning  up  many  thousands  so  to  have 
been  signed  of  every  tribe :  I  suppose  he  is  signed  in  the 
forehead  for  the  servant  of  God,  whom  God  hath  appointed 
of  his  infinite  goodness,  and  hath  given  him  grace  and  strength, 
stoutly  to  confess  him  and  his  truth  before  the  world.  And 
to  have  grace  and  strength  to  confess  Christ,  and  the  doc 
trine  of  the  cross,  and  to  lament  and  mourn  for  the  abo- 


70  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION*. 

urinations  of  antichrist,  I  suppose  is  to  be  signed  with  Tau1, 
whereof  Ezekiel  the  prophet  doth  speak.  Thus  I  suppose 
these  prophecies  are  spiritually  to  be  understood:  and  to 
look  for  other  corporal  marks,  to  be  seen  in  men's  fore 
heads,  or  in  their  hands,  is  nothing  else  but  to  look  that 
there  should  come  some  brute  beast  out  of  Babylon,  or  some 
elephant,  leopard,  lion,  or  camel,  or  some  other  such  mon 
strous  beast  with  ten  horns,  that  should  do  all  the  wonderful 
things  spoken  in  John ;  and  yet  of  a  beast  speaketh  John ; 
but  I  understand  him  so  to  be  called,  not  for  that  he  shall 
be  any  such  brute  beast,  but  for  that  he  is  and  shall  be  the 
child  of  perdition,  which  for  his  cruelty  and  beastly  manners 
is  well  called  a  beast. 

The   carnal   Jews  knew  there  was  a  promise  made,  that 
Helias  should  come  before  Christ  Messias,  the  anointed  of  God, 
to   prepare  his  ways :  they  knew  also  that  there  was  a  pro 
mise   of  Messias,  that  he  should  come  and  be  a  king,   and 
The  literal    reign  in  the  house  of  David  for  evermore ;  but  they  under- 
thVscrfp-     standed  all  so  grossly  and  so  carnally,  that  they  neither  knew 

tures  made  •»/»••  i  i  /»  iii/» 

the  Jews  Helias  nor  Messias,  when  they  came,  for  they  looked  for 
Helias  to  come  down  from  heaven  in  his  own  person,  and 
for  Messias  to  come  and  reign  in  worldly  pomp,  power, 
riches,  and  glory :  when  as  the  prophecies  of  both  were  spi 
ritually  to  have  been  understanded  of  Helias,  that  he  should 
come  not  in  person,  but  in  spirit,  that  is,  one  which  should 
be  endued  with  the  spirit  and  gifts  of  grace  of  Helias,  which 
was  indeed  John  Baptist,  as  Christ  himself  did  declare  to  his 
Apostles.  And  of  Messias1  reign,  all  the  Prophets  were  to 
be  understanded  of  the  reign  of  his  spiritual  kingdom  over 
the  house  of  Jacob  and  the  true  Israelites  for  evermore.  And 
so  by  that  their  gross  and  carnal  understanding,  they  mistake 
both  Helias  and  the  true  Messias;  and,  when  they  came, 
knew  neither  of  them  both.  So  likewise  I  fear  me  (nay  it 
is  certain),  the  world  that  wanteth  the  light  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  (for  the  world  is  not  able  to  receive  him,  saith  John) 
neither  doth  nor  shall  know  the  beast  nor  his  marks,  though 
The  pope's  he  rage  cruelly  and  live  never  so  beastly,  and  though  his 
Sen.e  marked  men  be  in  number  like  the  sand  of  the  sea.  The 

Q1  Tau,  the  letter  Tau,  or  a  cross,  see  Ezek.  ix.  and  Rev.  xiii. 
xiv.  xx.    ED.] 


A    PTTEOFS    LAMEXTATTON.  7l 

Lord  therefore  vouchsafe  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind  with 
the  light  of  grace,  that  they  may  see,  and  perceive,  and  un 
derstand  the  words  of  God,  after  the  mind  of  his  Spirit. 
Amen. 

Here  remaineth  two  objections,  which  may  seem  weighty, 
and  the  which  may  peradventure  move  many  not  to  follow 
the  former  counsel.  The  former  reason  is,  a  man  will  say : 
"O,  Sir,  it  is  no  small  matter  ye  speak  of,  to  depart  from 
a  man's  own  native  country  into  a  strange  realm.  Many  men 
have  so  great  lets,  as  how  is  it  possible  that  they  can  or  may 
do  so  ?  Some  have  lands  and  possessions,  which  they  cannot  Carnal  ob- 
carry  with  them :  some  have  father,  mother,  wife,  children,  answered. 
and  kinsfolk,  from  whom  to  depart  is  as  hard  a  thing,  (and 
all  one  almost)  as  to  suffer  death,  and  to  go  to  a  strange 
country,  that  thou  knowest  not,  neither  the  manner  of  the 
people,  nor  how  thou  mayest  away  either  with  the  people 
or  with  the  country.  Oh  !  what  a  hard  thing  it  is  to  live 
among  a  strange  people,  whose  tongue  thou  dost  not  under 
stand,"  &c. 

I  grant  here  thou  mayest  heap  a  number  of  worldly  in- 
commodities,  which  are  surely  very  like  to  ensue  the  departure 
out  of  a  man's  own  native  country — I  mean  out  of  the  whole 
realm,  into  a  strange  land :  but  what  of  all  these,  and  a  thou 
sand  more  of  the  like  sort  ?  I  will  set  unto  them  one  saying 
of  our  Saviour  Christ,  which  unto  the  faithful  child  of  God, 
and  the  true  Christian,  is  able  to  countervail  all  these,  yea, 
and  to  weigh  them  down.  Christ  our  Saviour  saith  in  Luke: 
"  If  any  come  to  me,  and  do  not  hate  his  father  and  mother 
(he  meaneth,  and  will  not  in  his  cause  forsake  his  father  and 
mother),  his  wife,  children,  and  brethren,  yea,  and  his  life 
too,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple :  and  whosoever  doth  not 
bear  his  cross  and  come  after  me,  he  cannot  be  my  dis 
ciple."  And  in  the  same  place  he  declareth  by  two  parables, 
one  of  a  builder,  and  the  other  of  a  king  that  is  a  warrior, 
that  every  man  that  will  not  in  Christ's  cause  forsake  all 
that  ever  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  his  disciple.  Look  the  place 
who  will :  the  matter  is  so  plainly  set  forth,  that  no  glosses 
nor  cloaking  of  conscience  to  the  man  of  God  can  serve  to 
the  contrary.  Many  places  there  be  for  the  same  purpose, 
for  the  embracing  of  Christ's  cross,  when  Christ  and  his  cause 


1 3  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION; 

layeth  it  upon  our  back :   but  this  is  so  plain,  that  I  need 
here  to  rehearse  no  more. 

The  latter  reason  and  objection,  whereof  I  spake  before, 

is  of  more  force,  and  includeth  a  necessity,  which,  after  the 

Another       common  saying,   hath  no   law,  and  therefore  it  is  more  hard 

worldly  ob-  J      . 

jection  to  shape  for  it  a  good  answer.  This  may  be  objected  of 
some:  "Alas!  Sir,  I  grant  all  these  things  do  grieve  me, 
and  because  I  understand  they  do  not  agree  with  God's 
word,  which  is  the  rule  of  my  conscience,  I  loathe  either  to 
look  on  them  or  to  hear  them.  But,  Sir,  alas !  I  am  an 
impotent  man,  an  aged  man,  a  sick  man,  a  lame  man,  or  I 
have  so  many  small  infants  and  a  lame  wife,  which  all  liveth 
by  my  labour  and  by  my  provision :  if  I  leave  them  they 
shall  starve,  and  I  am  not  able  to  carry  them  with  me,  such 
is  my  state.  Alas  !  Sir,  what  shall  I  do  2"  And  these  causes 
may  chance  to  some  men  of  God,  whereby  either  it  shall  be 
for  them  utterly  impossible  to  depart  the  country,  or  else 
in  departing  they  shall  be  enforced  to  forsake  such  in  extreme 
necessities,  of  whom  both  God  and  nature  hath  committed 
unto  them  the  care. 

Alas !  what  counsel  is  here  to  be  given  ?  0  lamentable 
state !  0  sorrowful  heart !  that  neither  can  depart,  and  with 
out  extreme  danger  and  peril  is  not  able  to  tarry  still !  And 
these  are  they  whom  our  Saviour  Christ  saw  before  should 
be,  and  called  them  in  his  prophecy  of  the  latter  time  preg 
nant  women  or  travailing  women,  and  women  that  give,  after 
they  be  brought  to  bed,  their  small  babes  suck.  Of  the  state 
of  such  as  are  not  able  to  fly  the  infection  of  the  pestiferous 
plague  of  antichrist's  abominations,  Christ  lamenting,  and  not 
cursing,  saith :  "  Woe  be  to  the  pregnant  women  and  travail 
ing  women,  and  women  that  give  suck  in  those  days !"  For 
these,  alas !  my  heart  mourneth  the  more,  the  less  I  am  able 
to  give  any  comfortable  counsel,  but  this,  that  always,  as 
they  look  for  everlasting  life,  they  abide  still  in  the  confession 
of  this  truth,  whatsoever  shall  befall ;  and  for  the  rest  to  put 
their  trust  now  wholly  in  God,  which  is  able  to  save  them 
against  all  appearance,  and  commonly  in  extremities,  when  all 
worldly  comfort  faileth,  and  the  danger  is  at  highest,  then 
unto  his  he  is  wont,  after  his  accustomed  mercy,  to  be  most 
ready  for  to  put  his  helping  hand.  Daniel  God  suffered  to 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  /J 

be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions,  and  the  three  children  into  the 
hot  burning  furnace,  and  yet  he  saved  them  all.  Paul  was 
plucked  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion  (as  he  saith  of  himself), 
and  in  Asia  he  was  brought  in  such  trouble,  that  he  looked 
for  no  other  thing  but  for  present  death ;  and  yet  He  that 
raiseth  the  dead  to  life  again,  did  bring  him  out  of  all  his 
troubles,  and  taught  him  and  all  other  that  be  in  troubles 
for  Christ's  cause,  not  to  trust  to  themselves,  but  in  Al 
mighty  God. 

Of  God's  gracious  aid  in  extreme  perils  toward  them  that 
put  their  trust  in  him,  all  Scripture  is  full,  both  old  and 
new.  What  dangers  were  the  patriarchs  often  brought  into, 
as  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  but  of  all  other  Joseph ;  and 
how  mercifully  were  they  delivered  again  !  In  what  perils  was 
Moses  when  he  was  fain  to  fly  for  the  safeguard  of  his  life  ! 
and  when  was  he  sent  again  to  deliver  the  Israelites  from 
the  servile  bondage  ?  Not  before  they  were  brought  into  Examples 
extreme  misery.  And  when  did  the  Lord  mightily  deliver  ready  help 

•  J  in  extreme 

his  people  from  Pharaohs  sword?  ISot  before  they  were  perils, 
brought  in  such  straits,  that  they  were  so  compassed  on  every 
side  (the  main  sea  on  the  one  side,  and  the  main  host  on 
the  other),  that  they  could  look  for  none  other,  (yea,  what 
did  they  else  indeed  look  for  then?)  but  either  to  have  been 
drowned  in  the  sea,  or  else  to  have  fallen  on  the  edge  of 
Pharaoh  his  sword.  Those  judges  which  wrought  most  won 
derful  things  in  the  delivery  of  the  people,  were  ever  given 
when  the  people  were  brought  to  most  misery  before,  as 
Othoniel,  Aioth1,  Sangar,  Gedeon,  Jephtha,  Samson.  And 
so  was  Saul  endued  with  strength  and  boldness  from  above, 
against  the  Ammonites,  Philistines,  and  Amalechites,  for  the 
defence  of  the  people  of  God.  David  likewise  felt  God's  help 
most  sensibly  ever  in  his  extreme  persecutions.  What  shall 
I  speak  of  the  Prophets  of  God,  wrhom  God  suffered  so  oft 
to  be  brought  into  extreme  perils,  and  so  mightily  delivered 
them  again ;  as  Helias,  Hieremy,  Daniel,  Micheas,  and  Jonas, 
and  many  other,  whom  it  were  but  too  long  to  rehearse  and 
set  out  at  large?  And  did  the  Lord  use  his  servants  other 
wise  in  the  new  law  after  Christ's  incarnation?  Read  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  you  shall  see,  no.  Were  not  the 
C1  Ehud.  ED.] 


/  •*  A    PITKOTT3    T.A  MENTATION*. 

ofXSSfsede  Apostles  cas^  mt°  prison,  and  brought  out  by  the  mighty 
liverance.  hand  of  Q.O(J  ?  j){^  not  the  angel  deliver  Peter  out  of  the 
strong  prison,  and  bring  him  out  by  the  iron  gates  of  the 
city,  and  set  him  free?  And  when,  I  pray  you?  Even  the 
same  night  before  Herod  appointed  to  have  brought  him  in 
judgment  for  to  have  slain  him,  as  he  had  a  little  before 
killed  James,  the  brother  of  John.  Paul  and  Silas,  when 
after  they  had  been  sore  scourged,  and  were  put  into  the 
inner  prison,  and  there  were  laid  fast  in  the  stocks;  I  pray 
you,  what  appearance  was  there  that  the  magistrates  should 
be  glad  to  come  the  next  day  themselves  to  them,  to  desire 
them  to  be  content,  and  to  depart  in  peace  2  Who  provided 
for  Paul,  that  he  should  be  safely  conducted  out  of  all  dan 
ger,  and  brought  to  Felix,  the  Emperors  deputy,  when  as 
both  the  high  priests,  the  pharisees,  and  rulers  of  the  Jews 
had  conspired  to  require  judgment  of  death  against  him,  he 
being  fast  in  prison,  and  also  more  than  forty  men  had  sworn 
each  one  to  other,  that  they  would  never  eat  nor  drink  until 
they  had  slain  Paul?  A  thing  wonderful,  that  no  reason 
could  have  invented,  or  man  could  have  looked  for:  God 
provided  Paul  his  own  sister's  son,  a  young  man,  that  disap 
pointed  that  conspiracy  and  all  their  former  conjuration. 
The  manner  how  the  thing  came  to  pass,  thou  mayest  read 
in  the  twenty-third  of  the  Acts;  I  will  not  be  tedious  unto 
thee  here  with  the  rehearsal  thereof. 

Now,  to  descend  from  the  Apostles  to  the  martyrs  that 
followed  next  in  Christ's  church,  and  in  them  likewise  to  de 
clare  how  gracious  our  good  God  ever  hath  been  to  work 
wonderfully  with  them  which  in  his  cause  have  been  in  ex 
treme  perils,  it  were  a  matter  enough  to  write  a  long  book. 
I  will   here   name   but  one   man  and   one  woman,   that   is, 
Athanasius,  the  great  clerk  and  godly  man,  stoutly  standing 
Lib.v.Cap.i.  jn  Christ's  cause  against  the  Arians ;   and  that  holy  woman, 
Blandina,  standing  so  constantly  in  all  extreme  pains,  in  the 
simple  confession  of  Christ.     If  thou  wilt  have  examples  of 
Lib.  iv.v.vi.  m0re,  look  and   thou  shalt  have  both  these  and  a  hundred 
TriP-          more  in  Ecclesiastica  Historia  of  Eusebius,  and  in  Tripartite 
Historia. 

But  for  all  these  examples,  both  of  holy  Scripture  and 
of  other  histories,  I  fear  me  the  weak  man  of  God,  encum- 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION.  "75 

bered  with  the  frailty  and  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  will  have  now 
and  then  such  thoughts  and  qualms  (as  they  call  them)  to 
run  over  his  heart,  and  to  think  thus :  "  All  these  things 
which  are  rehearsed  out  of  the  Scripture,  I  believe  to  be 
true,  and  of  the  rest  truly  I  do  think  well,  and  can  believe 
them  also  to  be  true :  but  all  these  we  must  needs  grant 
were  special  miracles  of  God,  which  now  in  our  days  are 
ceased,  we  see,  and  to  require  them  at  God's  hands,  were 
it  not  to  tempt  GodT 

Well-beloved  brother,  I  grant  such  were  great  wonderful 
works  of  God,  and  we  have  not  seen  many  of  such  miracles 
in  our  time,  either  for  that  our  sight  is  not  clear  (for  truly  ever°yUman 
God  worketh  with  his  his  part  in  aU  times),  or  else  be- S™' se 
cause  we  have  not  the  like  faith  of  them  for  whose  cause 
God  wrought  such  things,  or  because,  after  that  he  had  set 
forth  the  truth  of  his  doctrine  by  such  miracles  then  suffi 
ciently,  the  time  of  so  many  miracles  to  be  done  was  expired 
withal.  Which  of  these  is  the  most  special  cause  of  all 
other,  or  whether  there  be  any  other,  God  knoweth :  I  leave 
that  to  God.  But  know  thou  this,  my  well-beloved  in  God, 
that  God's  hand  is  as  strong  as  ever  it  was;  he  may  do 
what  his  gracious  pleasure  is,  and  he  is  as  good  and  gra 
cious  as  ever  he  was.  Man  changeth  as  the  garment  doth ; 
but  God,  our  heavenly  Father,  is  even  the  same  now  that  he 
was,  and  shall  be  for  evermore. 

The  world  without  doubt  (this  I  do  believe,  and  there 
fore  I  say)  draweth  towards  an  end,  and  in  all  ages  God  hath 
had  his  own  manner,  after  his  secret  and  unsearchable  wis 
dom,  to  use  his  elect;  sometimes  to  deliver  them,  and  to 
keep  them  safe ;  and  sometimes  to  suffer  them  to  drink  of 
Christ's  cup,  that  is,  to  feel  the  smart,  and  to  feel  of  the 
whip.  And  though  the  flesh  smarteth  at  the  one,  and  feel- 
eth  ease  in  the  other,  is  glad  of  the  one,  and  sore  vexed 
ii}  the  other;  yet  the  Lord  is  all  one  towards  them  in  both, 
and  loveth  them  no  less  when  he  suffereth  them  to  be  beaten, 
yea,  and  to  be  put  to  bodily  death,  than  when  he  worketh 
wonders  for  their  marvellous  delivery.  Nay,  rather  he  doth  The  Lord's 
more  for  them,  when  in  anguish  of  the  torments  he  stand-  less  in  ad- 
eth  by  them,  and  strengthened  them  in  their  faith,  to  suffer 
in  the  confession  of  the  truth  and  his  faith  the  bitter  pangs ty 


76  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

of  death,  than  when  he  openeth  the  prison-doors  and  let- 
teth  them  go  loose :  for  here  he  doth  but  respite  them  to 
another  time,  and  leaveth  them  in  danger  to  fall  in  like  peril 
again;  and  there  he  maketh  them  perfect,  to  be  without 
danger,  pain,  or  peril,  after  that  for  evermore :  but  this  his 
love  towards  them,  howsoever  the  world  doth  judge  of  it, 
is  all  one,  both  when  he  delivereth  and  when  he  suffereth 
them  to  be  put  to  death.  He  loved  as  well  Peter  and  Paul, 
when  (after  they  had,  according  to  his  blessed  will,  pleasure, 
and  providence,  finished  their  courses,  and  done  their  ser 
vices  appointed  them  by  him  here  in  preaching  of  his  Gospel) 
the  one  was  beheaded,  and  the  other  was  hanged  or  cruci 
fied  of  the  cruel  tyrant  Nero  (as  the  ecclesiastical  history 
saith),  as  when  he  sent  the  angel  to  bring  Peter  out  of 
prison,  and  for  PauTs  delivery  he  made  all  the  doors  of  the 
prison  to  fly  wide  open,  and  the  foundation  of  the  same  like 
an  earthquake  to  tremble  and  shake. 

Thinkest  thou,  0  thou  man  of  God,  that  Christ  our  Sa 
viour  had  less  affection  to  the  first  martyr,  Stephen,  because 
he  suffered  his  enemies,  even  at  the  first  conflict,  to  stone 
him  to  death  ?  No,  surely :  nor  James,  John^s  brother,  which 
was  one  of  the  three  that  Paul  calleth  primates  or  principals 
amongst  the  Apostles  of  Christ.  He  loved  him  never  a  whit 
the  worse  than  he  did  the  other,  although  he  suffered  Herod 
the  tyranf  s  sword  to  cut  off  his  head.  Nay,  doth  not  Daniel 
Dan.  xi.  say,  speaking  of  the  cruelty  of  Antichrist  his  time :  Et  docti 
in  populo  docebunt  plurimos,  et  ruent  in  gladio,  et  in  flatnmd, 
et  in  captivitate,  et  in  rapind  dierum,  fyc.  Et  de  eruditis 
ruent,  ut  conflentur,  et  eligantur,  et  dealbentur,  fyc.  That  is, 
"  And  the  learned  (he  meaneth  truly  learned  in  God's  law) 
shall  teach  many,  and  shall  fall  upon  the  sword,  and  in  the 
flame  (that  is,  shall  be  burnt  in  the  flaming  fire),  and  in 
captivity  (that  is,  shall  be  in  prison),  and  be  spoiled  and 
robbed  of  their  goods  for  a  long  season."  And  after  a  little, 
in  the  same  place  of  Daniel,  it  followeth :  "And  of  the 
learned  there  be,  which  shall  fall  or  be  overthrown,  that  they 
may  be  known,  tried,  chosen,  and  made  white" — he  meaneth 
be  burnished  and  scoured  anew,  picked  and  chosen,  and  made 
fresh  and  lusty.  If  that  then  was  foreseen  for  to  be  done 
to  the  godly  learned,  and  for  so  gracious  causes,  let  every 


A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 


77 


one  to  whom  any  such  thing  by  the  will  of  God  doth  chance 
be  merry  in  God  and  rejoice,  for  it  is  to  God's  glory  and 
to  his  own  everlasting  wealth.  Wherefore  well  is  he  that 
ever  he  was  born,  for  whom  thus  graciously  God  hath  pro 
vided,  having  grace  of  God,  and  strength  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
to  stand  stedfastly  in  the  height  of  the  storm.  Happy  is 
he  that  ever  he  was  born,  whom  God,  his  heavenly  Father 
hath  vouchsafed  to  appoint  to  glorify  him,  and  to  edify  his 
church,  by  the  effusion  of  his  blood. 

To  die  in  Christ's  cause  is  an  high  honour,  to  the  which  Martyrdom 

an  high  ho- 

no   man   certainly   shall   or   can   aspire,   but   to   whom    God  »our. 

vouchsafeth  that  dignity;   for  no  man  is  allowed  to  presume 

for  to  take  unto  himself  any  office  of  honour,  but  he  which  is 

thereunto  called  of  God.     Therefore  John  saith  well,  speaking 

of  them  which  have  obtained  the  victory  by  the  blood  of  the  Apoc.  xii. 

Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  his  testimony,  that  they  loved  not 

their  lives  even  unto  death. 

And  our  Saviour  Christ  saith :  "  He  that  shall  lose  his 
life  for  my  cause  shall  find  it."  And  this  manner  of  speech 
pertaineth  not  to  one  kind  of  Christians  (as  the  worldly  do 
wickedly  dream),  but  to  all  that  do  truly  pertain  unto  Christ. 
For  when  Christ  had  called  unto  him  the  multitude  together 
with  his  disciples,  he  said  unto  them  (mark  that  he  said  not 
this  to  the  disciples  and  Apostles  only,  but  he  said  it  to 
all),  "  Whosoever  will  follow  me,  let  him  forsake  or  deny 
himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me :  for  whosoever 
will  save  his  life,  shall  lose  it11  (he  meaneth  whosoever  will, 
to  save  his  life,  both  forsake  or  leave  him  and  his  truth)  ; 
"and  whosoever  shall  lose  his  life  for  my  cause  and  the 
Gospel's  sake,  shall  save  it :  for  what  shall  it  profit  a  man 
if  he  shall  win  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul,  his 
own  life?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  to  recompense  that  loss 
of  his  own  life  and  of  his  own  soul?"  "  Whosoever  shall 
be  ashamed  of  me  and  my  words  (that  is,  to  confess  me  and 
my  Gospel)  before  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation,  of 
him  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in 
the  glory  of  his  Father  with  the  holy  angels."  Know  thou, 
O  man  of  God,  that  all  things  are  ordained  for  thy  behoof, 
and  to  the  furtherance  of  thee  towards  thy  salvation.  "All 
things,"  saith  Paul,  "worketh  with  the  good  to  goodness," 


78  A    PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

even  the  enemies  of  God;  and  such  kind  of  punishments 
whereby  they  go  about  to  destroy  them,  shall  be  forced  by 
God's  power,  might,  and  fatherly  providence,  for  to  do  them 
service. 

It  is  not  as  the  wicked  thinketh,  that  poverty,  adversity, 
sickness,  tribulation,  yea,  painful  death  of  the  godly,  be 
tokens  that  God  doth  not  love  them ;  but  even  clean  the 
contrary,  as  all  the  whole  course  of  Scripture  doth  evidently 
declare ;  for  then  he  would  never  have  suffered  his  most  dear 
beloved,  the  patriarchs,  to  have  had  such  troubles,  his  Pro 
phets,  his  Apostles,  his  martyrs,  and  chief  champions  and 
maintainers  of  his  truth  and  gospel,  so  cruelly  of  the  wicked 
to  have  been  murdered  and  slain :  "of  the  which  some  were 

Heb.  xi.  racked,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  and  would  not  be  delivered, 
that  they  might  receive  a  better  resurrection.  Some  were 
tried  by  mockings  and  scourgings,  yea  moreover  by  bonds 
and  imprisonment :  they  were  stoned ;  they  were  hewn  and 
cut  asunder ;  they  were  tempted ;  they  were  slain  with  the 
sword ;  they  wandered  up  and  down  in  sheeps1  skins  and 
goats1  skins,  being  forsaken,  afflicted,  and  tormented;  such 
men  as  the  world  was  not  worthy  to  have,  wandering  in 
wildernesses,  in  mountains,  in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth. 
All  these  were  approved  by  the  testimony  of  faith,  and  re 
ceived  not  the  promise,  because  God  did  provide  better  for 
us,  that  without  us  they  should  not  be  consummated."  They 
tarry  now  for  us  undoubtedly,  longing  for  the  day ;  but  they 
are  commanded  to  have  patience;  "yet,"  saith  the  Lord, 
"  a  little  while,"  until  the  number  of  their  fellow-servants  be 
fulfilled,  and  of  their  brethren  which  are  yet  to  be  slain,  as 
they  were. 

Now,  thou,  O  man  of  God,  for  our  Lord's  sake,  let  us 
not,  for  the  love  of  this  life,  tarry  then  too  long,  and  be  oc 
casion  of  delay  of  that  glorious  consummation,  in  hope  and 
expectation  whereof  they  departed  in  the  Lord,  and  the  which 
also  the  living,  endued  with  God's  Spirit,  ought  so  earnestly 
to  desire  and  to  groan  for  with  all  the  creatures  of  God.  Let 
us  all  with  John,  the  servant  of  God,  cry  in  our  hearts  unto 

Apoc.  xxii.  our  Saviour  Christ,  Veni  Domine  Jesu,  "  Come,  Lord  Jesu, 
come."  For  that  when  Christ,  which  is  our  life,  shall  be 
made  manifest  and  appear  with  him  in  glory,  then  shall  the 


A    PITEOUS    LA.MKNTAT10X.  79 

children  of  God  appear  what  they  be,  even  like  unto  Christ ; 
for  this  our  weak  body  shall  be  transfigurated  and  made  like 
unto  Christ's  glorious  body,  and  that  by  the  power  whereby 
he  is  able  to  subdue  unto  himself  all  things :  then  that  which 
is  now  corruptible,  shall  be  made  incorruptible :  that  is  now 
vile,  shall  then  be  made  glorious ;  that  is  now  weak,  shall  rise 
then  mighty  and  strong;  that  is  gross  and  carnal  shall  be 
made  fine  and  spiritual ;  for  then  we  shall  see  and  have  the 
unspeakable  joy  and  fruition  of  the  glorious  majesty  of  our 
Lord,  even  as  he  is. 

Who  or  what  then  shall  let  us  to  jeopardy, — to  jeopardy?— 
yea,  to  spend  this  life,  which  we  have  here,  in  Christ's  cause, 
in  our  Lord  God  his  cause  ?  0  thou  therefore,  man  of  God, 
thou  that  art  laden,  and  so  letted  like  unto  a  woman  with 
child,  that  thou  canst  not  fly  the  plague;  yet  if  thou  lust 
after  such  things  as  I  have  spoken  of,  stand  fast,  whatsoever 
shall  befall  in  thy  Master's  cause ;  and  take  this  thy  letting 
to  fly  for  a  calling  of  God  to  fight  in  thy  Master  Christ 
his  cause.  Of  this  be  thou  certain,  they  can  do  nothing  unto  Nothing 
thee,  which  thy  Father  is  not  aware  of,  or  hath  not  foreseen  without 
before ;  they  can  do  no  more  than  it  shall  please  him  to  suf-  sight. 
fer  them  to  do  for  the  furtherance  of  his  glory,  edifying  of 
his  church,  and  thine  own  salvation.  Let  them  then  do  what 
they  shall,  seeing  to  thee,  0  man  of  God,  all  things  shall 
be  forced  to  serve,  and  to  work  with  thee  unto  the  best 
before  God.  O  be  not  afraid,  and  remember  the  end. 

All  this  which  I  have  spoken  for  the  comfort  of  the 
lamentable  case  of  the  man  whom  Christ  calleth  women 
with  child,  I  mean  to  be  spoken  likewise  to  the  captive  and 
prisoner  in  God's  cause :  for  such  I  count  to  be,  as  it  were, 
already  summoned  and  pressed  to  fight  under  the  banner  of 
the  cross  of  Christ,  and,  as  it  were,  soldiers  allowed  and 
taken  up  for  the  Lord's  wars,  to  do  to  their  Lord  and  Master 
good  and  honourable  service,  and  to  stick  to  him,  as  men 
of  trusty  service  in  his  cause,  even  unto  death ;  and  to  think 
their  life  lost  in  his  cause  is  to  win  it  in  eternal  glory  for 
evermore. 

Therefore  now  to  conclude,  and  to  make  an  end  of  this 
treatise,  I  say  unto  all  that  love  God,  our  heavenly  Father, 
that  love  Christ  Jesus,  our  Redeemer  and  Saviour ;  that  love 


80  A     PITEOUS    LAMENTATION. 

to  follow  the  ways  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  our  Com 
forter  and  Sanctifier  of  all ;  unto  all  that  love  Christ's  spouse 
and  body,  the  true  Catholic  church  of  Christ,  yea,  that  love 
life  and  their  own  soul's  health ;  I  say  unto  all  these,  Hearken, 
my  dear  brethren  and  sisters,  all  you  that  be  of  God,  of  all 
sorts,  ages,  dignities,  or  degree ;  hearken  to  the  word  of  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  spoken  to  his  Apostles,  and  meant  to 
Matt.x.  all  his,  in  Saint  Matthew's  Gospel:  "Fear  not  them  which 
kill  the  body,  for  they  cannot  kill  the  soul;  but  fear  him 
more  which  may  destroy,  and  cast  both  body  and  soul  into 
hell  fire.  Are  not  two  small  sparrows  sold  for  a  mite,  and 
one  of  them  shall  not  fall  or  light  upon  the  ground  without 
your  Father?  all  the  hairs  of  your  head  be  numbered.  Fear 
them  not,  you  are  much  more  worth  than  are  the  little  spar 
rows." — u  Every  one  then  that  confesseth  me  before  men, 
him  shall  I  likewise  confess  before  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven.  But  whosoever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  I  shall 
deny  him  likewise  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 

The  Lord  grant  us  therefore  of  his  heavenly  grace  and 
strength,  that  here  we  may  so  confess  him  in  this  world, 
amongst  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation,  that  he  may 
confess  us  again  at  the  latter  day,  before  his  Father  which 
is  in  heaven,  to  his  glory  and  our  everlasting  comfort,  joy, 
and  salvation. 

To  our  heavenly  Father,  to  our  Saviour  and  Redeemer 
Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  all  glory  and  honour 
now  and  for  ever.  Amen. 

NOTE. — [To  the  letters  of  Careless,  which  have  the  sig 
natures  following  those  of  Ridley,  i.  e.  beginning  F.  1 — the 
date  1556  is  prefixed  and  this  colophon  is  appended. 

Imprinted  at  London  by  Willyam 

Powell,  dwellying  in  Fletestrete 

at  the  sygne  of  the  George, 

near  to  Sainct  Dunstans 

Churche.  ED.] 


A   TREATISE 


ON 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  IMAGES. 


WRITTEN    BV 


NICHOLAS  RIDLEY, 


BISHOP   OF   LONDON. 


[RIDLEY.] 


£When  any  note  is  not  enclosed  in  brackets  and  signed  ED.  it  is 
Ridley's  own  quotation,  and  merely  removed  from  the  text  for  the 
sake  of  uniformity.  The  Treatise  itself  was  first  published  by  Fox 
in  his  "Acts  and  Monuments."  ED.] 


A  TREATISE 


OF 


DR   NICHOLAS   RIDLEY, 

IN  THE  NAME,  AS  IT  SEEMETH,  OF  THE  WHOLE  CLERGY, 

ADDRESSED  TO  KING  EDWARD  VL,  CONCERNING  IMAGES,  THAT  THEY 
ARE  NOT  TO  BE  SET  UP  NOR  WORSHIPPED  IN  CHURCHES. 


FIRST  PART. 

Certain  reasons  which  move  ns  that  we  cannot  with  safe  consciences  give 
our  assents  that  the  Imayes  of  Christ,  $c.,  should  be  placed  and  erected 
iu  Churches. 

FIRST,  the  words  of  the  commandment,  "  Thou  shalt  not  Maiedictus 
make  to  thyself  any  graven  image,"  &c.  And  the  same  is  focit  sculp, 
repeated  more  plainly,  "  Cursed  is  the  man  which  maketh  a  flatiie,  etc. 

•"  .  etponitillud 

graven  or  molten  image,  &c.,  and  setteth  it  in  a  secret  place,  in  abscon- 
and  all  the  people  shall  say,  Amen."  Exod.  xx. 

/      r  _  ,  Deut.xxvii. 

In  the  first  place,  these  words  are  to  be  noted :  "  Thou 
shalt  not  make  to  thyself;"  that  is,  to  any  use  of  religion. 

In  the  latter  place,  these  words:  "And  setteth  it  in  a 
secret  place ;"  for  no  man  then  durst  commit  idolatry  openly. 
So  that,  comparing  the  places,  it  evidently  appears  that  im 
ages,  both  for  use  of  religion  and  in  place  of  peril l  for  idolatry, 
are  forbidden. 

God,  knowing  the  inclination  of  man  to  idolatry,  sheweth 
the  reason  why  he  made  this  general  prohibition:    "  Lest  xe  forte  er- 
peradventure  thou,  being;  deceived,  shouldst  bow  down  to  them  tSfadores 

,  i  •      ,1          „  eaet  colas. 

and  worship  them. 

This  general  law  is  generally  by  all  to  be  observed,  not 
withstanding  that  peradventure  a  great  number  cannot  be  hurt 
by  them,  which  may  appear  by  the  example  following. 

L"1  Placed  where  there  is  danger  of  their  "being  worshipped.    ED.] 

0—2 


me. 


84  A    TREATISE 

Deut.vii.  Q-0(j  forbade  the  people  to  join  their  children  in  marriage 

cenf  fisi!um  with  strangers,  adding  the  reason :  "  For  they  will  seduce  thy 
sequatur  son,  that  he  shall  not  follow  me." 

Moses1  was  not  deceived  or  seduced  by  Jethro^s  daughter, 
nor  Boaz  by  Ruth,  being  a  woman  of  Moab.  And  yet  for  all 
that,  the  general  law  was  to  be  observed,  "  Thou  shalt  join 
no  marriage  with  them."  And  so  likewise,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
make  to  thyself  any  graven  image,"  &c. 

In  Deuteronomy  God  gives  a  special  charge  to  avoid 
images :  "  Beware  that  thou  forget  not  the  covenant  of  the 
Lord  thy  God  which  he  made  with  thee,  and  so  make  to  thy 
self  any  graven  image  of  anything  which  the  Lord  hath  for 
bidden  thee ;  for  the  Lord  thy  God  is  a  consuming  fire,  and 
a  jealous  God.  If  thou  have  children  and  nephews,  and  do 
dwell  in  the  land,  and,  being  deceived,  make  to  yourselves 
any  graven  image,  doing  evil  before  the  Lord  your  God,  and 
provoke  him  to  anger,  I  do  this  day  call  heaven  and  earth 
to  witness  that  you  shall  quickly  perish  out  of  the  land  which 
you  shall  possess ;  you  shall  not  dwell  in  it  any  longer,  but 
the  Lord  will  destroy  you  and  scatter  you  amongst  all 
nations." 

Note  what  a  solemn  obtestation  God  useth,  and  what 
grievous  punishments  he  threateneth  to  the  breakers  of  the 
second  commandment. 

In  the  tabernacle  and  temple  of  God  no  image  was  by 
God  appointed  to  be  set  openly,  nor  by  practice  afterwards 
used  or  permitted,  so  long  as  religion  was  purely  observed ; 
so  that  the  use  and  execution  of  the  law  is  a  good  interpreter 
of  the  true  meaning  of  the  same. 

If,  by  virtue  of  the  second  commandment,  images  were  not 
lawful  in  the  temple  of  the  Jews,  then  by  the  same  com 
mandment  they  are  not  lawful  in  the  churches  of  the  Christ 
ians.  For  being  a  moral  commandment,  and  not  ceremonial 
(for,  by  consent  of  writers,  only  a  part  of  the  precept  of  ob 
serving  the  Sabbath  is  ceremonial),  it  is  a  perpetual  com 
mandment,  and  bindeth  us  as  well  as  the  Jews. 

The  Jews  by  no  means  would  consent  to  Herod,  Pilate, 

[x  It  should  be  remembered  that  Moses  acted  previous  to  the  pro 
mulgation  of  the  law  in  question,  and  Boaz  in  obedience  to  a  peculiar, 
and  in  his  case  superior  one.  ED.] 


CONCERNING    IMAGES.  85 

or  Petronius,  that  images  should  be  placed  in  the  temple  of 

Jerusalem ;  but  rather  offered  themselves  to  death  than  assent 

unto  it :  who,  besides  that  they  are  commended  by  Josephus2  J°st^phjib 

for  observing  the  meaning  of  the  law,  would  not  have  endan-  j- J"]  JJP* 8 ; 

gered  themselves  so  far,  if  they  had  thought  images  had  been  JJP-  5  and 

indifferent   in   the   temple   of  God.     For   as   St  Paul   saith, 

M  What  hath  the  temple  of  God  to  do  with  idols?" 

God's  Scripture  in  no  place  commends  the  use  of  images,  but  acns? 
in  a  great  number  of  places  doth  disallow  and  condemn  them. 

They  are  called,  in  the  book  of  Wisdom,  the  trap  and 
snare  of  the  feet  of  the  ignorant. 

It  is  said,  the  invention  of  them  was  the  beginning  of  spi 
ritual  fornication ;  and  that  they  were  not  from  the  beginning, 
neither  shall  they  continue  to  the  end. 

In  the  fifteenth   chapter   of  the   same  book  it  is   said, 

wi  Their  pictures  are  a  worthless  labour."     And  as-ain,  "  They  umbra  pic. 

'  t^irse' labor 

are  worthy  of  death  that  put  their  trust  in  them,  that  make  sine  fructu. 

them,  that  love  them,  and  that  wprship  them." 

The  Psalms  and  prophets  are  full  of  like  sentences;  and 
how  can  we  then  praise  that  which  God's  Spirit  doth  always 
dispraise? 

Furthermore,  an  image  made  by  a  father,  as  appears  in 
the  same  book3,  for  the  memorial  of  his  son  departed,  was 
the  first  invention  of  images,  and  occasion  of  idolatry. 

How  much  more,  then,  shall  an  image  made  in  the  memory 
of  Christ,  and  set  up  in  the  place  of  religion,  occasion  the  same 
offence?      Images   have   their   beginning   from   the   heathen; 
and  upon  no  good  ground,  therefore,  can  they  be  profitable  Euseb.  *EC- 
to  Christians.     Whereunto  Athanasius  agrees,  when  writing  lib.  vii.  cap." 
of  images  against  the  Gentiles5 :   "  The  invention  of  images 

[2  Ed.  Genev.  1635,  p.  596.  624.  640.    ED.] 

"Thus  some  parent  mourning  bitterly  for  a  son  who  hath  been 
taken  from  him,  makes  an  image  of  his  child ;  and  him  who  before  had 
been  to  his  family  as  a  dead  man  they  now  begin  to  worship  as  a  god  ; 
rites  and  sacrifices  being  instituted  to  be  observed  by  his  dependents." 
Book  of  Wisdom,  xiv. 

[4  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  vn.  c.  8.  Ed.  Par.  1659,  p.  265.    ED.] 
P  Athanasius,  Cont.  Gentes.  j  TWV  eldia\<av  evpeffis  OVK  aTrodyadov, 
a\\     O.TTO    KCtKias    yeyove,    TO    le    Tt]v    dp^v    e%ov   Kaittjv  ev    ovtevi 
e  kctXov  KpiOelrj,  o\ov  ov  (pavXov.     Par.  1627,  torn.  i.  p.  8.     ED.]] 


86  A    TREATISE 

came  of  no  good,  but  of  evil ;  and  whatsoever  hath  an  evil 
beginning  can  never  in  anything  be  judged  good,  seeing  it  is 
wholly  naught." 

St  John  says,  "  My  little  children,  beware  of  images ;" 

but  to  set  them  in  the  churches,  which  are  places  dedicated 

to  the  service  and  invocation  of  God,  and  that  over  the  Lord's 

table,  being  the  highest  and  most  honourable  place,  where 

most  danger  of  abuse  both  is  and  ever  hath  been,  is  not  to 

beware  of  them  nor  to  flee  from  them,  but  rather  to  embrace 

Lib.de  Co-  and  receive  them.     Tertullian,  expounding  the  same  words, 

'  writeth  thus :     "  Little   children,   keep    yourselves    from   the 

shape  itself,  or  form  of  them1." 

Images  in  the  Church  either  serve  to  edify  or  to  destroy. 

If  they  edify,  then  is  there  a  kind  of  edification  which  the 

Scriptures  neither  teach  nor  command,  but  always  disallow: 

if  they  destroy,  they  are  not  to  be  used ;  for  in  the  Church 

i.cor.xiv.    of  God  all  things  ought  to  be  done  to  edify. 

The  commandment  of  God  is,  "  Thou  shall  not  lay  a 
stumbling-block  or  a  stone  before  the  blind ;"  and,  "  Cursed 
is  he  that  maketh  the  blind  to  wander  in  his  way." 

The  simple  and  unlearned  people  who  have  been  so  long 
under  blind  guides,  are  blind  in  matters  of  religion,  and  in 
clined  to  error  and  idolatry.     Therefore,  to  set  images  before 
Namiaquei  them  to  stumble  at  (for  they  are  snares  and  traps  for  the 

pedibus  in-  .  v  *  •"• 

sipientium  feet  of  the  ignorant),  or  to  lead  them  out  of  the  true  way, 
is  not  only  against  the  commandment  of  God,  but  deserveth 
also  the  malediction  and  curse  of  God. 

The  use  of  images  is,  to  the  learned  and  confirmed  in 
knowledge,  neither  necessary  nor  profitable.  To  the  super 
stitious,  it  is  a  confirmation  in  error.  To  the  simple  and 
weak,  an  occasion  to  fall,  and  very  offensive  and  wounding  to 
their  consciences;  and  therefore  very  dangerous.  For  St 

i  Cor.  ix.  Paul  saith,  "  Offending  the  brethren  and  wounding  their 
weak  consciences,  they  sin  against  Christ."  And  Matthew 
xviii :  "  Woe  be  to  him  by  whom  offence  or  occasion  of 
falling  cometh;  it  were  better  that  a  millstone  were  tied 

1  Filioli  custodite  vos  ab  idolis,  non  jam  ab  idololatria  quasi  ab 
officio,  sed  ab  idolis,  i.e.  ab  ipsa  effigie  eorum. 
[Ed.  Par.  Rigalt.  1641.  p.  126—7.    ED.] 


CONCERNING    IMAGES.  87 

about  his  neck,  and  he  cast  into  the  sea,  than  to  offend  one 
of  the  little  ones  that  believe  in  Christ."  And  where  an  ob 
jection  may  be  made  that  such  offence  may  be  taken  away 
by  sincere  doctrine  and  preaching,  it  is  to  be  answered,  that 
is  not  sufficient;  as  hereafter  more  at  large  shall  appear. 

And  though  it  should  be  admitted  as  true,  yet  it  should 
follow  that  sincere  doctrine  and  preaching  should  always, 
and  in  all  places,  continue  as  well  as  images :  and  so  that 
wheresoever  an  image  were  erected  to  offend,  there  should 
also,  of  reason,  a  godly  and  sincere  preacher  be  continually 
maintained;  for  it  is  reason  that  the  remedy  be  as  large  as 
the  offence,  the  medicine  as  general  as  the  poison ;  but  that 
is  not  possible  in  the  realm  of  England,  if  images  should  be 
generally  allowed,  as  reason  and  experience  may  teach. 

As  good  magistrates,  who  intend  to  banish  all  whoredom, 
do  drive  away  all  naughty  persons,  especially  out  of  such 
places  as  be  suspected ;  even  so  images,  being  "  Meretrices," 
id  est,  "  Whores" — for  that  the  worshipping  of  them  is  called 
in  the  prophets  fornication  and  adultery — ought  to  be  banish 
ed,  and  especially  out  of  churches,  which  is  the  most  suspected 
place,  and  where  the  spiritual  fornication  hath  been  most 
committed. 

It  is  not  expedient  to  allow  and  admit  that  which  is  hurt 
ful  to  the  greatest  number ;  but  in  all  churches  and  common 
wealths  the  ignorant  and  weak  are  the  greatest  number,  to 
whom  images  are  hurtful,  and  not  profitable. 

And  whereas  it  is  commonly  alleged  that  images  in 
churches  stir  up  the  mind  to  devotion,  it  may  be  answered 
that,  contrariwise,  they  rather  distract  the  mind  from  prayer, 
hearing  of  God's  word,  and  other  godly  meditations ;  as  we 
read  that  in  the  council  chamber  of  the  Lacedaemonians  no 
picture  or  image  was  suffered,  lest,  in  consultation  of  weighty 
matters  of  the  common  weal,  their  minds,  by  the  sight  of 
the  outward  image,  might  be  occasioned  to  withdraw  or  to 
wander  from  the  matter. 

The  experience  of  this  present  time  declareth,  that  those 
parts  of  the  realm  which  think,  and  are  persuaded,  that  God 
is  not  offended  by  doing  outward  reverence  to  an  image,  most 
desire  the  restitution  of  images,  and  have  been  most  diligent 
to  set  them  up  again :  restitution,  therefore,  of  them  by  com- 


88  A    TREATISE 

nion  authority  shall  confirm  them  more  in  their  error,  to 
the  danger  of  their  souls,  than  ever  they  were  before.  For, 
as  one  man  writeth,  ;;  Nothing  is  more  certain  or  sure  than 
that  which  of  doubtful  is  made  certain1.1' 

The  profit  of  images  is  uncertain ;  the  peril,  by  experience 
of  all  ages  and  states  of  the  Church,  as  afore,  is  most  certain. 

The  benefit  to  be  obtained  by  them,  if  there  be  any,  is 
very  small ;  the  danger  in  seeing  of  them,  which  is  the  danger 
of  idolatry,  is  the  greatest  of  all  other.  Now,  to  allow  a  most 
certain  peril  for  an  uncertain  profit,  and  the  greatest  danger 
for  the  smallest  benefit,  in  matters  of  faith  and  religion,  is 
a  tempting  of  God  and  a  grievous  offence. 


SECOND   PART. 

Probations  out  of  the  Fathers,  Councils,  and  Histories. 

FIRST,  it  is  manifest,  that  in  the  primitive  Church  images 
were  not  commonly  used  in  churches,  oratories,  and  places  of 
assembly  for  religion;  but  they  were  generally  detested  and 
abhorred,  insomuch  that  the  want  of  imagery  was  objected 
to  the  Christians  by  the  heathen,  as  a  crime. 
Lib.  iv.  oon-  Origen  relates  that  Celsus  objected  the  lack  of  images2. 

Amobius  saith  also,  that  the  Ethnics  accused  the  Christ 
ians,  that  they  had  neither  altars  nor  images3. 

Zephirinus  in  his  "Commentary  upon  the  Apology  of  Ter- 
tullian,"'  gathers  thus  of  Tertullian's  words :  "  That  place  of 
persuasion  were  very  cold,  and  to  no  purpose  at  all,  except 
we  hold  this  always,  that  Christians  in  those  days  did  hate, 
most  of  all,  images,  with  their  trim  decking  and  ornaments4." 
Lib.  i.  cap.  Irenseus  reproves  the  heretics  called  Gnostics,  because 
that  they  carried  about  the  image  of  Christ,  made  in  Pilate's 

1  Nihil  magis  est  cerium  quam  quod  ex  dubio  factum  est  cerium. 

[2  Ed.  Par.  Sen.  torn.  i.  p.  524.    ED.] 

[3  Ed.  Par.  de  la  Barre.  1582,  p.  137.     ED.] 

4  Qui  locus  persuadendi  frigeret  penitus,  nisi  perpetuo  illud  tenea- 
mus,  Christianos  tune  temporis  odisse  maxime  statuas  cum  suis  orna- 
mentis.  [Ed.  Col.  1622,  p.  145.  ED.] 


CONCERNING    IMAGES. 


89 


time,  after  his  own  proportion5  (which  were  much  more  to 
be  esteemed  than  any  that  can  be  made  now) ;  using  also, 
for  declaration  of  their  affection  towards  it,  to  set  garlands 
upon  the  head  of  itc. 

Lactantius  affirms  plainly7,  "It  is  not  to  be  doubted,  that  Lib.  Div 
there  is  no  religion  wherever  there  is  any  image."     If  Christ-  cap.  is. 
ians   then  had  used  images,   he   would   not  have  made  his 
proposition  so  large. 

St  Augustine3  commends  Varro  the  Roman  in  these  words: 
"  Since  Varro  thought  religion  might  be  kept  more  purely  cap!  31 
without  images,  who  does  not  see  how  near  he  came  to  the 
truth  f1  So  that  not  only  by  Varro's  judgment,  but  also  by 
St  Augustine's  approbation,  the  most  pure  and  chaste  ob 
servation  of  religion,  and  the  nearest  the  truth,  is  to  be 
without  images. 

The  same  St  Augustine,  in  Ps.  cxiii.,  hath9  these  words : 
"  Images  have  more  force  to  bow  down  and  crook  the  silly 
soul,  than  to  teach  it." 

And  upon  the  same  Psalm  he  moves  this  question10: 
"Every  child,  yea,  every  beast  knoweth  that  it  is  not  God 
which  they  see ;  why,  then,  doth  the  Holy  Ghost  so  oft  give 
warning  to  beware  of  that  which  all  do  know  2"  St  Augus 
tine  answers11:  "When  they  are  set  in  churches,  and  begin 

5  Made  like  to  the  actual  bodily  form  and  proportion  in  which 
Christ  appeared  upon  earth. 

[6  Gnosticos  se  autem  vocant,  et  imagines  quasdam  quidem  depictas, 
quasdam  autem  et  de  reliqua  materia  fabricatas,  habent,  dicentes  formam 
Christi  factam  a  Pilato  illo  in  tempore,  quo  fuit  Jesus  cum  hominibus, 
et  has  coronant.— S.  Ir.  Op.  Par.  Ben.  1710,  p.  105.  ED.] 

7  Non  est  dubium,  quin  religio  nulla  sit  ubicunque  simulacrum  est. 
£Ed.  Oxon.  1684,  p.  203.     ED.] 

8  Quum  Varro  ejcistimaverit  castius  sine  simulacris  observari  religi- 
onem,  quis  non  videt  quantum  appropinquaverit  veritati  ?  [[The  words  in 
Italics  are  not  Augustine's. — Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1681,  torn.  vii.  col.  112.    ED.] 

9  Plus  valent  simulacra  ad  curvandam  infelicem  animam  *  *  *  quam 
ad  corrigendam.— [Ed.  Par.  Ben.  1681,  torn.  iv.  col.  1262.    ED.] 

10  Quivis  puer,  immo  quaevis  bestia  scit,  non  esse  Deum  quod  vident  : 
cur  ergo  Spiritus  Sanctus  toties  monet  cavendum  quod  omnes  sciunt? 

11  Quoniam  cum  ponuntur  in  tcmplis,  et  semel  incipiunt  adorari  a 
multitudine,  statim  nascitur  sordidissimus  affectus  erroris. 

[The  genuine  words  of  Augustine  are : 

"  Quis  puer  interrogatus  non  hoc  certum  esse  respondeat,  quod  simul 
acra  gentium  os  habent  et  non  loquuntur,  oculos  habent  et  non  vide- 


90 


A    TREATISE 


once  to  be  worshipped  of  the  multitude  or  common  people, 
straightway  springs  up  a  most  filthy  affection  of  error." 

This  place  of  St  Augustine  well  opens  how  weak  a  reason 
it  is  to  say,  images  are  a  thing  indifferent  in  chambers 
and  in  churches;  for  the  alteration  of  the  place,  manner, 
and  other  circumstances,  oftentimes  alters  the  nature  of  the 
thing.  It  is  lawful  to  buy  and  sell  in  the  market,  but  not  so  in 
churches.  It  is  lawful  to  eat  and  drink,  but  not  so  in  churches. 
And  therefore  saith  St  Paul :  "  Have  you  not  houses  to  eat 
and  drink  in  2  Do  you  contemn  the  Church  of  God  2" 
s£m°Dei  Many  other  actions  there  be,  which  are  lawful  and  honest  in 

contemm-    private  places,  which  are  neither  comely  nor  honest,  not  only 
in  churches,  but  also  in  other  assemblies  of  honest  people. 

Tertullian  saith  he  used  sometimes  to  burn  frankincense 
in  his  chamber,  which  was  then  used  by  idolaters,  and  is 
so  still  in  the  Romish  churches ;  but  he  joineth  withal :  "  But 
not  after1  such  a  rite  or  ceremony,  nor  after  such  a  fashion, 
nor  with  such  preparation  or  sumptuousness,  as  it  is  done 
before  the  idols." 

So  that  images  placed  in  churches,  and  set  in  an  ho 
nourable  place  of  estimation,  as  St  Augustine  saith,  and 
especially  over  the  Lord's  table,  which  is  done  (using  the 
words  of  Tertullian)  after  the  same  manner  and  fashion 
which  the  Papists  used,  especially  after  so  long  continuance 
of  abuse  of  images,  and  so  many  being  blinded  with  super 
stitious  opinion  towards  them — cannot  be  counted  a  thing 
indifferent,  but  a  most  certain  ruin  of  many  souls. 

bunt,  et  caetera  quse  divinus  sermo  contexuit — cur  ergo  tantopere  Spiritus 
Sanctus  curat  Scripturarum  plurimis  locis  hsec  insinuare,  atque  incul- 
care  velut  inscientibus,  quasi  non  omnibus  apertissima  atque  notissima, 
nisi  quia  species  membrorum  quam  naturaliter  in  am'mantibus  viven- 
tem  videre  atque  in  nobismetipsis  sentire  consuevimus,  quanquam  ut 
illi  asserunt  in  signum  aliquod  fabrefacta  atque  eminenti  collocata 
suggestu,  cum  adorari  atque  honorari  a  multitudine  cceperit,  paret  in 
unoquoque  sordidissimum  erroris  affectum,"  &c.  &c. 

Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1681,  torn.  iv.  col.  1261.  C.D.  j 
-  Basil.  1542,  torn.  viii.  col.  1306.  > 

1  Sed  non  eodem  ritu,  nee  eodem  habitu,  nee  eodem  apparatu,  quo 
agitur  apud  idola. 

[Tertullian.  de  Corona  Militis.  Cap.  10.  Ed.  Rigalt.  1641.  Paris, 
p.  126.    ED.] 


CONCERNING    IMAGES.  91 

Epiphanius,  in  his  epistle  to  John  Bishop  of  Jerusalem 
(which  epistle  was  translated  out  of  the  Greek  by  St  Jerome, 
shewing  that  it  is  likely  that  Jerome  disliked  not  the  doctrine 
of  the  same),  writes  a  fact  of  his  own,  which  most  clearly 
declares  the  judgment  of  that  notable  learned  bishop  con 
cerning  the  use  of  images:  his  words  are  these:  "When2  I 
came  to  a  village  called  Anablatha,  and  saw  there,  as  I 
passed  by,  a  candle  burning,  and  enquiring  what  place  it 
was,  and  learning  that  it  was  a  church,  and  had  entered 
into  the  same  to  pray,  I  found  there  a  veil  or  cloth  hang 
ing  at  the  door  of  the  same  church,  dyed  and  painted, 
having  on  it  the  image  of  Christ,  as  it  were,  or  of  some 
saint — for  I  remember  not  well  whose  it  was.  Then,  when 
I  saw  this,  that  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  against  the  autho 
rity  of  the  Scriptures,  the  image  of  a  man  was  hung  up,  I 
cut  it  in  pieces,"  &c.  And  a  little  after:  "And  commanded 
that  such  manner  of  veils  or  cloths,  which  are  contrary  to 
our  religion,  be  not  hanged  in  the  Church  of  Christ." 

Out  of  this  place  of  Epiphanius  divers  notes  are  to  be 
observed : — 

First,  that,  by  the  judgment  of  this  ancient  Father,  to 
permit  images  in  churches  is  against  the  authority  of  the 
Scriptures,  meaning  against  the  second  commandment : 
"Thou  shalt  not  make  to  thyself  any  graven  image,"  Sec. 

Secondly,  that  Epiphanius  rejecteth,  not  only  graven  and 
molten,  but  also  painted  images;  for  if  he  cut  in  pieces 
the  image  painted  on  a  veil  hanging  at  the  church  door,  what 
would  he  have  done  if  he  had  found  it  over  the  Lord's 
Table? 

Thirdly,  that  he  spareth  not  the  image  of  Christ ;  for  no 
doubt  that  image  is  most  perilous  in  the  church,  of  all  other. 

P  Quum  venissem  ad  villam  quae  dicitur  Anablatha,  vidissemque 
ibi  praeteriens  lucernam  ardentem,  et  interrogassem  quis  locus  esset, 
didicissemque  esse  Ecclesiam,  et  intrassem  ut  orarem,  inveni  ibi  velum 
pendens  in  foribus  ejusdem  ecclesise,  tinctum  atque  depictum,  et  habens 
imaginem  quasi  Christi  vel  sancti  cujusdam,  non  enim  satis  memini 
cujus  fuit.  Cum  ergo  hoc  vidissem  in  Ecclesia  Christi  contra  auctori- 
tatem  scripturarum  hominis  pendcre  imaginem,  scidi  illud  *  *  *  et 
prsecepi  in  Ecclesia  Christi  istiusmodi  vela,  quae  contra  religionem 
nostram  veniunt,  non  appendi. 

[Ed.  Par.  Ben.  1706.  torn.  iv.  col.  828-829.  Ep.  ex.    ED.] 


92  A    TREATISE 

Fourthly,  that  he  did  not  only  remove  it,  but  with  a 
vehemency  of  zeal  cut  it  in  pieces ;  following  the  example  of 
the  good  King  Hezekiah,  who  brake  the  brazen  serpent  and 
burnt  it  to  ashes. 

Last  of  all,  that  Epiphanius  thinketh  it  the  duty  of 
vigilant  bishops  to  be  careful  that  no  such  kind  of  painted 
images  are  permitted  in  the  Church. 

Serenus,  bishop  of  Massilia,  broke  down  images,  and  de- 

Gre^.  in      stroyed  them,  when  he  saw  them  begin  to  be  worshipped1. 

epist.  cv.  Experience  of  the   times  since   has  declared   whether  of 

the   two  sentences   were  better.     For  since   Gregory's   time 

the   images   standing  in   the    Western   Churches   have  been 

overflowed  with  idolatry,  notwithstanding  his  or  other  men's 

doctrine ;    whereas,    if    Serenus's   judgment    had    universally 

taken  place,  no  such  thing  had  happened :  for  if  no  images 

had  been  suffered,   none  could  have  been   worshipped ;    and 

consequently  no  idolatry  committed  by  them. 


THIRD  PART. 

To  recite  the  proceedings  in  Histories  and  Councils  about  the  matter  of 
Images,  would  require  a  long  discourse,  but  it  shall  be  sufficient  here 
briefly  to  touch  a  few. 

IT  is  manifest  to  them  that  read  histories,  that  not  only 
emperors,  but  also  divers  and  sundry  councils  in  the  Eastern 
Church,  have  condemned  and  abolished  images,  both  by  de 
crees  and  examples. 

Bookix.  Petrus   Crinitus,   in  his  book   of    "Honest    Discipline," 

wrote   out  of   the   emperors'  books   these  words2:  "Valens 

P  Praeterea  indico  dudum  ad  nos  pervenisse,  quod  fratemitas  vestra 
quosdam  imaginum  adoratores  aspiciens,  easdem  in  ecclesiis  imagines 
confregit  atque  projecit.  Et  quidem  zelum  vos,  ne  quid  manu  factum 
adorari  posset,  habuisse  laudavimus,  sed  frangere  easdem  imagines  non 
debuisse  indicamus.  Idcirco  enim  pictura  in  ecclesiis  adhibetur,  ut  hi 
qui  literas  nesciunt  saltern  in  parietibus  videndo  legant,  quae  legere  in 
codicibus  non  valent.  Tua  ergo  fraternitas  et  illas  servare  et  ab  earum 
adoratu  populum  prohibere  debuit ;  quatenus  et  literarum  nescii  haberent 
unde  scientiam  historiae  colligerent,  et  populus  in  picture  adoratione 
minime  peccaret.  Greg.  Mag.  Op.  Regist.  lib.  ix.  Indict.  2.  Ed.  Ben. 
Par.  1705,  vol.  ii.  col.  1006.  ED.] 

2  Valens  et  Theodosius  imperatores  prsefecto  pratorio  ad  hunc 
modum  scripserunt.  Quum  sit  nobis  cura  diligens  in  rebus  omnibus 


CONCERNING     IMAGES.  93 

and  Theodosius,  the  emperors,  wrote  to  the  pretorian  prefect 
in  this  sort :  '  Whereas  we  are  very  careful  that  the  religion 
of  Almighty  God  should  be  kept  in  all  things ;  we  permit  no 
man  to  cast,  grave,  or  paint  the  image  of  our  Saviour 
Christ,  either  in  colours,  stone,  or  other  matter :  but  where 
soever  it  be  found,  we  command  it  to  be  taken  away,  punish 
ing  them  most  grievously  that  shall  attempt  anything  con 
trary  to  our  decrees  and  empire.1 " 

Leo  III.,  a  man  commended  in  histories  for  his  excellent 
virtues  and  godliness,  (who  as  is  judged  of  some  men  was 
the  author  of  the  book  de  re  militari,  that  is  of  the  feats 
of  war,  being  translated  out  of  Greek  by  Sir  John  Cheke, 
and  dedicated  to  king  Henry  the  Eighth  your  highness1 
father3,)  by  public  authority  commanded  abolishing  of  images, 
and  in  Constantinople  caused  all  the  images  to  be  gathered 
together  on  a  heap,  and  burned  them  to  ashes. 

Constantine,  his  son,  assembled  a  council  of  the  bishops 
of  the  Eastern  Church,  in  which  council  it  was  decreed  as 
follows:  "It  is  not  lawful  for  them  that  believe  in  God 
through  Jesus  Christ,  to  have  any  images,  either  of  the 
Creator  or  of  any  creatures,  set  up  in  the  temples  to  be 
worshipped ;  but  rather  that  all  images,  by  the  law  of  God, 
and  for  the  avoiding  of  offence,  ought  to  be  taken  out  of 
churches.11  Which  decree  was  executed  in  all  places  where 
any  images  were,  either  in  Greece  or  in  Asia.  But  in  all 
these  times  the  bishops  of  Borne,  rather  maintaining  the 
authority  of  Gregory,  than,  like  Christian  bishops,  weighing  the 
peril  of  the  Church,  always  in  the  assemblies  allowed  images. 

Not  long  after  the  bishop  of  Rome,  practising  with 
Thai-asms,  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  obtained  of  Irene, 
the  empress,  her  son  Constantine  being  then  young,  that  a 

superni  numinis  religionem  tueri;  signum  salvatoris  Christ!  nemini 
conccdimus  coloribus,  lapide,  aliave  materia  fingere,  insculpere,  aut  pin- 
gere,  sed  quocunque  rcperitur  loco,  tolli  jubemus,  gravissima  pcena  eos 
mulctando,  qui  contrarium  decretis  nostris  et  imperio  quicquam  ten- 
taverint.  Pet.  Crin.  de  Hon.  Discip.  lib.  ix.  c.  9. 

[3  The  work  "  de  apparatu  bellico,  or  Tactica,"  of  which  the  treatise 
de  re  militari  is  the  first  chapter,  was  not  the  work  of  Leo  III.,  other 
wise  called  Iconoclastes,  but  of  Leo  VI.  who  was  surnamed  Pacificus, 
Philosophus,  and  Sapiens.  Cave,  Hist.  Literaria.  ED.] 


94}  A    TREATISE 

council  should  be  called  at  Nice,  in  which  the  Pope's  legates 
were  presidents,  which  appeared  well  by  their  fruits ;  for 
in  that  council  it  was  decreed,  that  images  should  not  only 
be  permitted  in  churches,  but  also  worshipped ;  which  council 
was  confuted  by  a  book  written  by  Charlemagne,  the  emperor, 
calling  it  a  foolish  and  arrogant  council1. 

Soon  after  this  council  arose  a  sharp  contention  between 
Irene,  the  empress,  and  her  son,  Constantino  VI.,  the 
emperor,  who  destroyed  images.  And  in  the  end,  as  she 
had  before  wickedly  burned  the  bones  of  her  father-in-law, 
Constantino  V.,  so  afterwards  unnaturally  she  put  out  the  eyes 
of  her  son,  Constantine  VI. 

To  be  short,  there  never  was  anything  that  made  more 
division,  or  brought  more  mischief  into  the  Church,  than 
the  controversy  of  images ;  by  reason  whereof,  not  only  the 
Eastern  Church  was  divided  from  the  Western,  and  never 
since  perfectly  reconciled,  but  also  the  empire  was  cut  asun 
der  and  divided,  and  the  gate  opened  to  the  Saracens  and 
Turks  to  enter  and  overcome  a  great  part  of  Christendom. 
The  fault  whereof  most  justly  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
patrons  of  images,  who  could  not  be  contented  with  the  ex 
ample  of  the  primitive  Church,  being  most  simple  and  sin 
cere,  and  most  agreeable  to  the  Scripture — (for  as  Tertullian 
saith2,  "What  is  the  first,  that  is  true,  and  that  which  is 
later  is  counterfeit") — but  with  all  extremity  they  maintained 
the  use  of  images  in  churches,  whereof  no  profit  nor  advan 
tage  ever  grew  to  the  Church  of  God.  For  it  is  evident 
that  infinite  millions  of  souls  have  been  cast  into  eternal 
damnation  by  the  occasion  of  images  used  in  place  of  re 
ligion;  and  no  history  can  record  that  ever  any  one  soul 
was  won  unto  Christ  by  having  of  images.  But  lest  it  might 
appear  that  the  Western  Church  had  always  generally  re 
tained  and  commended  images,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  in  a 
council  holden  in  Spain,  called  the  Eliberian  Council3,  the 

P  See  the  nine  canons  of  that  council  (the  2nd  Nicene,)  Crabbs.  Con. 
Gen.  torn.  ii.  p.  465—6,  Ed.  Colon.  1551.  ED.J 

[j2  Id  esse  verum  quodcunque  primum;  id  esse  adulterum  quod- 
eunque  posterius.  Tertullian.  cont.  Praxeam,  Sect.  2.  Op.  p.  405.  ED.] 

[3  Held  at  Elvira,  near  Granada,  about  A.D.  305.  Labbe',  Cone.  Gen. 
torn.  i.  col.  995.  ED.] 


CONCERNING    IMAGES.  95 

use  of  images  in  churches  was  clearly  prohibited  in  this 
form  of  words :  "  We  decree  that  pictures  ought  not  to  be 
In  churches,  lest  that  be  painted  upon  the  walls  which  is 
worshipped  or  adored4." 

But,  notwithstanding  this,  experience  hath  declared,  that 
neither  assembling  in  councils,  neither  writings,  preachings, 
decrees,  making  of  laws,  prescribing  of  punishments,  hath 
holpen  against  images,  to  which  idolatry  has  been  committed, 
nor  against  idolatry  whilst  images  stood.  For  these  blind 
books  and  dumb  schoolmasters  (which  they  call  layman's 
books)  have  more  prevailed  by  their  carved  and  painted 
preaching  of  idolatry,  than  all  other  written  books  and  preach 
ings  in  teaching  the  truth,  and  the  horror  of  that  vice. 

Having  thus  declared  unto  your  Highness  a  few  causes 
out  of  many  which  move  our  consciences  in  this  matter,  we 
beseech  your  Highness  most  humbly  not  to  strain  us  any 
further,  but  consider  that  God's  word  threateneth  a  terrible 
judgment  unto  us,  if  we,  being  pastors  and  ministers  in  his 
Church,  should  assent  unto  the  thing  which  in  our  learning 
and  conscience  we  are  persuaded  tendeth  to  the  confirmation 
of  error,  superstition,  and  idolatry,  and  finally,  to  the  ruin 
of  the  souls  committed  to  our  charge,  for  which  we  must 
give  an  account  to  the  Prince  of  pastors  at  the  last  day.  Heb.  xiii. 
We  pray  your  Majesty  also  not  to  be  offended  with  this 
our  plainness  and  liberty,  which  all  good  and  Christian 
princes  have  ever  taken  in  good  part  at  the  hands  of  godly 
bishops. 

St  Ambrose,  writing  to  Theodosius  the   emperor,  useth 
these  words5,  that  is  to  say:  "Neither  is  it  the  part  of  an  Epist.iib.v. 
emperor  to  deny  free  liberty  of  speaking,  nor  yet  the  duty  EI 
of  a  priest  not  to  speak  what  he  thinks."     And  again'7:  "  In 

Placuit  in  Ecclesiis  picturas  csse  non  debere,  ne  quod  colitur  aut 
adoratur  in  parietibus  depingatur.  [Can.  30.  Crabbs.  Con.  Gen.  Col. 
vol.  i.  p.  284.  ED.] 

Sed  neque  imperiale  est  libertatem  dicendi  negare,  neque  sacerdotale 
quid  sentiat  non  dicere.  [S.  Ambros.  Op.  Ed.  Par.  Ben.  1690,  Ep.  xxix. 
col.  946.  ED.] 

0  In  causa  vero  Dei  quern  audies,  si  sacerdotem  non  audies,  cujus 
majore  peccatur  periculo  ?  Quis  tibi  verum  andebit  dicere,  si  sacerdos  non 
audeat  ?  [S.  Ambros.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1690,  Ep.  xxix.  col.  947.  ED.] 


96 


A    TREATISE    CONCERNING    IMAGES. 


God's  cause  whom  wilt  thou  hear,  if  thou  wilt  not  hear  the 
priest,  to  whose  great  peril  the  fault  should  be  committed? 
Who  dare  say  the  truth  unto  thee  if  the  priest  dare  not?" 
These  and  such  like  speeches  of  St  Ambrose  Theodosius 
and  Valentinianus,  the  emperors,  always  took  in  good  part ; 
and  we  doubt  not  but  your  Grace  will  do  the  like,  not  only 
of  whose  clemency,  but  also  beneficence,  we  have  largely 
tasted. 

We  beseech  your  Majesty  also,  in  these  and  such  like 
controversies  of  religion,  to  refer  the  discussion  and  deciding 
of  them  to  a  synod  of  your  bishops  and  other  godly  learned 
men,  according  to  the  example  of  Constantinus  Maximus, 
and  other  Christian  emperors,  that  the  reasons  of  both 
parties  being  examined  by  them,  the  judgment  may  be  given 
uprightly  in  all  doubtful  matters. 

And  to  return  to  this  present  matter,  we  most  humbly 
beseech  your  Majesty  to  consider,  that  besides  weighty 
causes  in  policy  which  we  leave  to  the  wisdom  of  your 
honourable  councillors,  the  establishment  of  images  by  your 
authority  shall  not  only  utterly  discredit  our  ministers  as 
builders  up  of  the  things  which  we  have  destroyed,  but  also 
blemish  the  fame  of  your  most  godly  father,  and  also  of  such 
notable  fathers  as  have  given  their  life  for  the  testimony  of 
God's  truth,  who  by  public  law  removed  all  images. 

The  almighty  and  everlasting  God  plentifully  endue  your 
Majesty  with  his  Spirit  and  heavenly  wisdom,  and  long  pre 
serve  your  most  gracious  reign  and  prosperous  government 
over  us,  to  the  advancement  of  His  glory,  to  the  overthrow 
of  superstition,  and  to  the  benefit  and  comfort  of  all  your 
Highnesses  loving  subjects. 


CONFERENCES. 


CERTAIN  GODLY,  LEARNED,  AND  COMFORTABLE 

CONFERENCES 

BETWEEN 

NICHOLAS   RIDLEY, 

SOMETIME   BISHOP   OF    LONDON, 
AND 

HUGH  LATIMER, 

SOMETIME   BISHOP   OF   WORCESTER, 

DURING    THE    TIME    OF    THEIR    IMPRISONMENT. 
A.  D.  1556. 


[RIDLEY.] 


fcettaen*  tfte  ttoo  ilr&mn&  jFatfiers  antr 

of  Cfjrist,  13.  Jltcola0  ^ 
late  m**!)oppc  of  ?i,onUon,  and 


of  eiOorcfgtfr  during 
tpme  of  ttjetr  i 


13s.  116. 

Ueatc  in  tbc  sig!)t  of 
is  tljc  Ccati)  of  i)is 
Saintes. 

1550. 


TO  THE   READER. 


GRACE  and  peace  &c.     Good  Christian  Reader,  here  are 

set  forth  for  thine  instruction   and  comfort   certain  learned 

and  comfortable  conferences  between  the  two   reverend  and 

godly  fathers,    M.   Ridley   and    M.    Latimer,   whose    bodies 

the   Romish  tyranny  of  late  hath  tormented,  and  fire  hath 

consumed;    whose   souls  mercy  hath  embraced,  and  heaven 

hath  received ;  yielding  the  one  unto  the  enemy  to  death,  for 

testimony   of  the   truth;    commending  the  other  unto  God, 

in  sure  hope  of  life.     And  forasmuch  as  these  their  scrolls 

and  writings  were  by  God's  good  providence  preserved,  and 

as  it  were  raked  out  of  the  ashes  of  the  authors — containing 

as  well  comfortable  consolation  for  such  as  are  in  the  school 

of  the  Cross,  as  also  good  and  profitable  admonition  for  them 

which  (either  of  ignorance,  either  of  infirmity,  or  by  flattering 

of  themselves  with  vain  pretences)  do  yield  unto  the  wicked 

world — the  reverence  due  to  the  reverend  fathers,  the   zeal 

towards  the  setting  forth  of  the  tried  truth,  and  the  ready 

good  will  to  comfort  and  confirm  weak  consciences,  would 

not  suffer  thee  any  longer  to  want  these  small  treatises  and 

yet  no  small  treasures ;    that  as   in  life  they  profited  thee 

by  teaching,  and  in  death  by  example,  so  after  death  they 

may  do  thee  good  by  writing.     And  albeit  the  matter  of 

itself  is  sufficient  to  commend  itself,  yet  it  cannot  be,  but 

the  worthiness  of  the  writers  will  increase  credit,  and  give 

no  small  authority  to  the  writings.     M.  Latimer  came  earlier 

in  the  morning,  and  was  the  more  ancient  workman  in  the  Matt.  xx. 

Lord's  vineyard ;  who  also  may  very  well  be  called  (as  divers 

learned  men  have  termed  him)  the  Apostle  of  England,  as 

one  much  more  worthy  of  that  name  for  his  true  doctrine, 

and  for  his  sharp  reproving  of  sin  and  superstition,  than  was 

7—2 


100  TO    THE    READER. 

Augustine,  bishop  of  Canterbury,  for  bringing  in  the  pope^s 
monkery  and  false  religion.  M.  Ridley  came  later,  about 
the  eleventh  hour;  but  no  doubt  he  came  when  he  was 
effectually  called:  and  from  the  time  of  his  calling  became 
a  faithful  labourer,  terrible  to  the  enemies  for  his  excellent 
learning,  and  therefore  a  meet  man  to  rid  out  of  the  Lord's 
vineyard  the  sophistical  thorns  of  the  wrangling  adversaries ; 
which  did  well  appear  in  all  disputations  and  conferences 
that  were  in  his  time,  and  partly  doth  appear  in  these  short 
treatises  following.  But  what  shall  it  need  in  many  words 
to  praise  them,  whose  lives  were  most  commendable,  whose 
deaths  were  most  glorious?  In  office  and  vocation  both  like, 
in  labour  and  travail  both  faithful,  in  learning  and  judgment 
both  sound ;  in  mind  and  manners  both  mild,  but  in  God^s 
cause  both  stout.  For  neither  threatened  death,  neither 
love  of  present  life,  could  shake  the  foundation  of  their 

Matt.vii.  faith,  firmly  grounded  upon  the  sure  rock,  Christ.  They 
redeemed  liberty  of  conscience  with  the  bondage  of  the  body ; 
and  to  save  their  lives,  they  were  content  to  lose  their  lives. 
This  was  not  the  work  of  the  flesh,  but  the  operation  of 
God's  mighty  Spirit;  who  hath  ever  from  the  beginning  not 
only  builded,  but  also  enlarged,  his  Church  by  the  suffering 
of  his  saints,  and  sealed  his  doctrine  with  the  blood  of  his 
martyrs:  as  S.  Augustine,  speaking  of  the  persecutions  in 
the  primitive  church,  doth  well  declare  in  these  words : 

De  civ.  Dei,       Liqobantur,  indudebantur,  ccedebantur,  torquebantur,  ure- 

Lib.  xxii. 

cap.  6.        bantur,  (laniabantur,  trucidabantur,)  et  mulliplicabantur1. 

That   is   to  say,   The   Christians  were  bound,  were   im 
prisoned,  were   beaten,  were   tormented,  were   burnt,    [were 
butchered,  were  slain,]  and  yet  were  multiplied. 
.  ii.         If  Justinus  Martyr2  when  he  was  yet  an  heathen  philo- 

[x  S,  Aug.  De  Civ.  Dei,  lib.  xxii.  cap.  6.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685, 
torn.  vii.  col.  661.  The  words  in  brackets  are  omitted  by  Ridley  in  his 
quotation.  ED.] 

'2  Just.  Mart.  Apol.  ii.  cap.  12.    Ed.  Ben.  Par.  p.  90. 


TO    THE    READER. 


101 


sopher  (as  he  confesseth  of  himself)  was  moved  to  embrace 
the  faith  and  religion  of  Christ  in   beholding   the   constant 
patience   of  the   martyrs,    which   suffered   for   Christ   in  his 
time ;  how  much  more  ought  the  patient  suffering  and  volun 
tary  death  of  these  notable  fathers,  with  many  other  learned, 
godly  men   in   our   days    (whose   names   are  written   in  the 
book  of  life)  not  only  move,  but  also  pierce  and  persuade 
all  godly  hearts,  constantly  to  remain  in  the  truth  known? 
For   undoubtedly  the   truth   of  the   cause   they  suffered  for 
is  most  evident  by  God's  word,  and  hath  been  so  fully  taught, 
so   clearly  set   forth  by  many  and  sundry  writings,  that  it 
is    open   to   the   consciences   of  all  the  world,  even  of  the 
very  adversaries  themselves  that  persecute  it  (greater  is  their 
damnation),    except   it   be   to   such  whom   the   God   of  this 
world,  malice,  ambition,  avarice,   or  ignorance  hath  blinded.  2  Cor.  iv. 
Which   thing   needeth   none  other  proof  (especially  for  the 
realm   of  England)    but   only   to   call   to   mind,    with   what 
conscience  and  constancy  these  pillars   of  the   church  (that 
cannot  err)   have  walked  in  religion  these  twenty  years  by 
past:    how  they  (not  long  ago)  received  and  allowed  things, 
which  with  fire  and  faggot  they  persecute  now ;  and  shrank 
from    that   then,  which  now  they   most   earnestly  maintain. 
And  although  there  appeared  in  the  latter  days   a   shadow 
of  stoutness  in  a  few,   yet  it  was  indeed  nothing.     For  it 
sprang   not   out   of  any  zeal   to   the   cause   or   clearness  of 
conscience,  but   rather   out   of  a   like  subtle  and  foxy  pre 
sumption   as   the    Syrians    once    conceived,    when    they   put 
themselves  in  the  danger  of  king  Ahab,  saying,  "Behold  we  lKin&sxx- 
have  heard  that  the  kings  of  the  house  of  Israel  are  pitiful 
and  merciful.""     For  out  of  all  doubt,  king  Henry  the  Eighth 
could   as   easily  have   obtained   at    Winchester's   hands   and 
others,  a  conformity  in  putting  down  the  mass  and  all  the 
rest,  whatsoever  hath  been  done  (by  order)  since,  if  he  had 
earnestly  minded  it ;  as  the  abolishing  of  the  Pope,  monkery, 


102 


TO    THE    HEADER. 


pilgrimages,  relics,  with  like  baggage;  all  which  are  now 
again  things  well  esteemed,  and  covered  (as  all  the  residue 
is)  with  the  cloak  of  the  Catholic  church. 

But  to  return  to  the  matter  we  have  in  liand  :  in  this  little 
treatise,  good  Eeader,  thou  shalt  perceive  another  manner  of 
spirit,  thou  shalt  think  (if  thou  thyself  be  not  very  dull) 
that  thou  nearest  men  speak,  which  had  learned  the  lesson 

Actsiv.  of  the  Apostles,  that  is,  to  obey  God  rather  than  man, 
and  had  not  learned  the  Komish  epicure's  lesson,  to  apply 
faith  and  religion  to  the  present  state  of  policy,  to  turn 
with  the  time,  and  serve  all  seasons;  men  before  death 

Philip,  iii.  dead  un£0  f-ne  woric]5  accounting  with  St  Paul  all  other  things 
to  be  damage,  loss,  and  vile,  that  they  might  win  Christ; 
men  zealous  for  the  house  of  God,  and  the  glory  of  his 
name;  such  as  had  already  laid  open  their  consciences  and 
infirmities  before  the  judgment-seat  of  God,  and  had  again 
through  Christ  received  the  effect  of  faith  and  true  right 
eousness,  that  is,  peace  of  conscience  and  joyfulness  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  so  had  a  full  taste  in  this  mortal  body, 
of  immortality ;  in  misery,  of  happiness ;  in  earth,  of  heaven. 
O  England,  England !  how  great  is  thy  loss  for  the  want 
of  them  !  how  horrible  is  thine  offence  for  killing  of  them ! 
how  grievous  will  thy  plague  be,  when  the  revenger  of  innocent 
blood  shall  call  thee  to  an  account  for  them,  if  thou  do 
not  repent  in  time !  God  grant  that  the  admonitions  of 
these  and  other  godly  martyrs  may  so  warn  us,  their  doc 
trine  so  instruct  us,  and  their  example  so  confirm  us  in  the 
true  knowledge  and  fear  of  God,  that  flying  and  abhorring 
idolatry  and  superstition,  we  may  embrace  true  religion  and 
piety;  forsaking  the  phantasies  of  men,  we  may  humbly 
obey  the  written  word  of  God;  and  ruled  thereby,  direct 
all  our  doings  to  the  glory  of  his  name,  and  our  own  endless 
salvation  in  Christ  Jesus.  Amen. 


CERTAIN  GODLY,  LEARNED,  AND  COMFORTABLE 

CONFERENCES 

BETWEEN 

THE   TWO   REVEREND   FATHERS   AND   HOLY    MARTYRS, 

DR  NICHOLAS   RIDLEY, 

LATE  BISHOP  OF  LONDON, 

AND 

MASTER  HUGH  LATIMER, 

SOMETIME  BISHOP  OF  WORCESTER, 
DURING    THE    TIME    OF    THEIR    IMPRISONMENT. 


"  In  the  name  of  Jesus  let  every  knee  bow"     Philip,  ii. 

N.  RIDLEY. 

"  A  BISHOP  ought  to  be  unreproveable,  as  the  steward  of  N. 
God,  &c.,  cleaving  fast  to  the  true  word  of  doctrine,"  &c.  Tit!  ii. 
All  worldly  respects  put  apart,  of  shame,  death,  loss  of  goods, 
and  worldly  commodities,  let  me  have,  1  pray  you,  your  advice 
in  these   matters  following:    that  is,  your  assent  and  con 
firmation  in  those  things,  which  you  judge  that  God   doth 
allow,  and  your  best  counsel  and  advertisement  where  you 
think  otherwise,  and  your  reasons  for  both  the  same.     For 
the  wise  man  saith,  "  One  brother  which  is  helped  of  another,  p™v.  xviii. 
is  like  a  well-defended  city1." 

The  causes  that  move  me  to  abstain  from  the  mass,  be 
these : 

I.     It  is  done  in  a  strange  tongue,  which  the  people  doth 
not  understand,  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  the  apostle.  l Cor<  xiVt 

Q1  This  quotation  is  taken  from  the  Septuagint: 

"  d£eA(po<?  VTTO  d&€\<pov  f3otj6ovfji€vo<;   cJ<?   TTO'AJS   o^vpa   KO.\  v\jst]\ti" 
The  authorised  version  renders  the  passage: 

"A  brother  offended  is  harder  to  he  won  than  a  strong  city."     Prov. 
xviii.  19.     ED.] 


104  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

H.  LATIMER. 

H.  LAT.  Where  is  no  understanding,  there  is  neither  edifying,  nor 

comfort ;  for  besides  that  they  speak  into  the  air,  the  mind 
receiveth  no  profit ;  they  are  one  to  another  as  aliens.  The 
parishioners  will  say,  their  priests  are  mad,  whereas  all  things 
ought  to  be  done  so  as  they  may  edify.  Let  every  man 
know,  that  the  things  which  I  write,  saith  St  Paul,  are  the 
commandments  of  the  Lord.  Such  absurdities  are  to  be 
eschewed. 

TST.  RIDLEY. 

N.  Km.  II.     There   is   also  wanting   the   shewing   of  the   Lord's 

i  cor.  xi.  death,  contrary  to  the  mind  of  the  Apostle,  "  As  often  as  ye 
shall  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  of  this  cup,  ye  shall  shew  the 
Lord's  death  till  he  come."  What  shewing  can  be  there, 
whereas  no  man  heareth,  that  is  to  say,  understandeth 
what  is  said  ?  No  man,  I  mean,  of  the  common  people,  for 
whose  profit  the  prayer  of  the  church  ought  specially  to 
serve. 

H.  LATIMER. 

II.  LAT.  "  Woe  be  unto  you,  that  take  away  the  key  of  know 

ledge."  The  papists  study  by  all  means  to  make  the  people 
ignorant  (lest  their  ignorant  Sir  Johns  should  be  had  in  less 
estimation  or  despised),  which  is  clean  contrary  to  St  Paul's 
practice,  who  wished  that  all  men  might  be  fulfilled  with  all 
Coi.i.  knowledge,  and  to  be  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus,  &c.  The 
institution  of  Christ,  if  it  were  rehearsed  in  the  vulgar  tongue, 
should  be  not  only  a  consecration,  but  also  a  fruitful  preach 
ing  to  the  edification  of  the  hearers.  Whereas,  in  the  popish 
mass  it  is  neither  understanded  nor  heard,  wrhilst  the  common 
people  are  utterly  ignorant  what  their  priests  do,  or  what 
they  go  about,  whether  they  bless  or  curse.  The  apostles 
understanded  Christ,  when  he  celebrated  his  supper ;  therefore 
do  these  papists  swerve  from  Christ  in  their  mass. 

N.  RIDLEY. 
N.  RID.  HI.     There  is  no  communion,  but  it  is  made  a  private 

table,  and  indeed  ought  to  be  a  communion;    for  St  Paul 
icor.x.      saith,    "The    bread   which    we    break,   is    the    partaking    of 

the   body   of   Christ."     And    Christ   brake,   distributed,   and 
Matt.  xxvi.  said,  "  Take  and  eat,"  &c.     But  that  they  make  it  a  private 


AND    HUGH     LAT1MER.  105 

table,  it   is   open.     For  where  they  be  many  priests  which  JJ^gj 
will  communicate,  they  do  it  not  in  one  table  or  altar,  but  £^ 
every  one  of  them  have  their  altars,  masses,  and  tables.         table- 

H.  LATIMER. 

To  make  that  private,  which  Christ  made  common,  and  H.  LAT. 
willed  to  be  communicated,  may  seem  to  be  the  workmanship 
of  Antichrist  himself.     The  canons1  of  the  apostles  do  excom-  Can.  ix. 
municate  them  which  being  present  at  common  prayer,  &c. 
do  not  also  receive  the  holy  communion.     And  unto  the  same 
agreeth  the  decree  of  Anacletus  :   "  When  the  consecration  DC  Consec. 

(list.  1  cap. 

is  done,11  saith  he,  "  let  all  such  communicate  as  intend  not  Epist. 
to  be  excommunicated2."    "  That  which  is  first  is  true  ;   that 
which  is  latter  is  counterfeited3,11  saith  Tertullian.     But  the  Tertuii. 

contra  Prax- 

papists  say,  "  We  do  it  privately,  because  we  do  it  for  others.11  cam- 
But  where  have  you  your  commission  to  mass  and  sacrifice 
for  others? 

N.  RIDLEY. 

IV.     The    Lord's   commandment   of   communicating   the  N.  RID. 
cup  unto  the  lay  people,  is  not  observed  according  to   the 
word  of  the  Lord,  "Drink  ye  all  of  this.11  Matt.xxvi. 

H.  LATIMER. 

"  As  often  as  ye  shall  eat  of  this  bread,  and  drink  of  H.  LAT. 
this  cup,  ye  shall  shew  the  Lord's  death.11  So  that,  not  the 
partaking  of  the  one  only,  but  of  both,  is  a  shewing  of  the 
Lord's  death.  Because  in  his  death  the  blood  was  divided 
from  the  body,  it  is  necessary  that  the  same  division  be 
represented  in  the  Supper;  otherwise  the  Supper  is  not  a 
shewing  of  the  Lord's  death,  &c.  "  Let  a  man  examine 


\_     Trai/ra?    TOU? 

Be  rr\  Trpoa-cv^i  KU\   Ttj  dyia  /oieraA^x^ei,  a»?  ara- 
T»/  eKK/\r/<r/a,  cfyopt£e<r0ai  XfJtl-    Can.  Apost.  Can.  9. 
Cone.  Coll.  Reg.  Par.  torn.  i.  p.  12.     ED.] 

Q2  Peracta  autem  consecratione,  omnes  communicent  qui  noluerint 
ecclesiasticis  carere  limitibus.  Anacleti.  Ep.  i.  Cone.  Coll.  Reg.  Par. 
torn.  i.  p.  140.  ED.] 

P  Id  esse  verum,  quodcunque  primum  ;  id  csse  adulterum^  quodcim- 
que  posterius.  Tertullian.  adv.  Prax.  sec.  2.  Op.  p,  dL05,  ED.] 


106  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN     NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

himself,"  &c.     But  this  word,   ^liomo^  is   of  both  genders: 
cepTboth*"  therefore   it   is  as  well  commanded  to  the  woman  to  drink 


of  the    CUP>   as    tlie   man>    &c-     But   tne   king'8  argument, 
tered!ms~     once    agams^    me,    was    this — " '  When    ye    come    together 
mento?1"     ^°    eSL^    ^ie    sa^n   n0^    saith    he,    to    drink." — I    answered, 
vni.Henry  1*    was    no*    needful,    seeing    that    a    little    before    he    had 
i  Cor.  xi.     made  mention  of  both  in  these  words :    "  And  so  let  him 
eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup." — Homo — That  is 
to  say,  as  well  the  woman  as  the  man.     Under  the  name  of 
bread,  which  betokeneth  all  sustenance  of  the  body,  drink  is 
also  understanded  in  the  Scripture.    Otherwise  they  would  say, 
that  Christ  did  not  drink  after  his  resurrection  with  his  dis 
ciples,  except  Peter  had   said,  we   did   eat   and   drink  with 
Actsx.        him  after  he  rose  from  death. 

N.  RIDLEY. 

N.  "Rio.  V.  They  do1  servilely  serve  the  holy  sign,  as  St  Au- 

Christiani,  gustine  speaketh,  instead  of  the  thing  signified,  whilst 
ix. '  *  '  the  sacramental  bread  (by  a  solemn  or  common  error)  is 

adored   and  worshipped   for  the   flesh  taken   of  the  Son  of 

God. 

H.  LATIMER. 

H.  LAT.  If  ye  deny  Unt0  them  their  corporeal  presence  and  tran- 

substantiation,  their  fantastical  adoration  will  (by  and  by) 
vanish  away.  Therefore,  be  strong  in  denying  such  a  presence, 
and  then  ye  have  won  the  field. 

Furthermore,  in  the  first  Supper,  celebrated  of  Christ 
himself,  there  is  no  mention  made  of  adoration  of  the  elements. 
Who  said,  "  Eat  ye,  and  drink  ye,"  not  worship  ye.  There 
fore,  against  adoration  may  be  spoken  that  saying  of  Christ 

Matt.  xix.  concerning  divorce,  "  From  the  beginning  it  was  not  so." 
But  the  devil  secretly,  and  by  little  and  little,  infecteth  all 
Christ's  ordinances;  and  as  for  the  private  mass,  with  all 
the  sinews  thereof,  what  manner  a  thing  it  is,  may  be  easily 
perceived  by  the  ready  acceptation  of  the  people,  whose  hearts 

Gen.  viii.     are  prone  to  evil  even  from  their  youth. 

f1  Sub  signo  enim  servit,  qui  operatur  aut  veneratur  aliquam  rem 
significantem,  neseiens  quid  significet.  S.  Aug.  de  doctr.  Christ,  lib.  in. 
cap.  9.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1G35,  torn.  in.  pars  i.  col.  48;  49.  ED.] 


AND    HUGH    LATIMER. 


N.  RIDLEY. 


107 


VI.  They  pluck  away  the  honour  from  the  only  sacri-  N.  RID. 
fice  of  Christ,  whilst  this  sacramental  and  mass-sacrifice  is 
believed  to  be  propitiatory,  and  such  a  one  as  purgeth  the 
souls,  both  of  the  quick  and  the  dead.     Contrary  to  that  is 
written  to  the  Hebrews,  "  With  one  offering  hath  he  made  Heb.  x. 
perfect    for    ever    them    that    are    sanctified."     And    again, 

"  Where  remission  of  these  things  (that  is,  of  sins)  is, 
there  is  no  more  offering  for  sin." 

H.  LATIMER. 

"  By  his  own  person  he  hath  purged  our  sins."     These  H.  LAT. 
words,  4  by  his  own  person2,1  have  an  emphasis  or  vehemence, 
which   driveth   away  all   sacrificing   priests   from   such  office 
of  sacrificing ;  seeing  that,  which  He  hath  done  by  himself, 
He   hath   not   left   to   be  perfected  by  others;    so  that  the 
purging  of  our  sins   may  more   truly  be   thought   past   and 
done,  than  a  thing  to  come  and  to  be  done.     "  If  any  man  i  John  n. 
sin,"  &c.     He  saith  not,  let  him  have  a  priest  at  home  to 
sacrifice  for  him,  but  "we   have  an  Advocate,"  the  virtue 
of  whose   one   oblation   endureth   for   ever.     St   Paul   saith, 
"  They  that  serve  the  altar,  &c.     Even  so  the   Lord  hath  i  cor.  ix. 
ordained,  that  they  which  preach  the  gospel  should  live  of 
the  gospel."     Why  doth  he  not  rather  say,  "they  that  sacri 
fice  in  the  mass"? 

N.  RIDLEY. 

VII.  There  be  manifold  abuses  and  superstitions  which  N.  RID. 
are  done  in  the  mass  and  about  the  mass.     Salt  is  conjured,  Conjuring 
that    it   may   be    a    conjured   salt   for   the   salvation   of  the  and  bread, 
believers,  to  be   a   salvation  and  health,  both   of  the   mind 

and  of  the  body,  unto  everlasting  life,  to  all  them  that 
receive  it.  Water  is  conjured,  that  it  may  be  made  a 
conjured  water,  to  chase  away  all  the  power  of  the  enemy, 
to  chase  away  devils,  &c.  Bread  also  hath  this  second 
blessing,  that  it  may  be  health  of  mind  and  body  to  all 
them  that  receive  it.  If  we  do  think  that  such  strength 
is  to  be  given  to  salt,  water,  and  bread;  or  if  we  judge 

Q*  In  the  authorised  version  the  passage  is  rendered  "by  himself 
purged  our  sins."    Heb.  i.  .3.     ED.] 


108  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

that  these  things  are  able  to  receive  any  such  virtue  or 
efficacy,  what  leave  we  to  Christ,  our  Saviour  ?  But  if  we 
think  not  so,  why  then  do  we  pray  on  this  sort;  foras 
much  as  all  prayer  ought  to  be  done  in  faith  I 

H.  LATIMEE. 

A  bookT'  ^S  touc^n£  t*16  abuses  of  the  mass,  I  refer  you  to  a  little 

against  the  book,  the  title  whereof  is  Mistress  Missa1,  where  she  was  justly 

mass  made 

by  or  Tur-  condemned  and  banished  under  pain  of  burning.  But  the  devil 
hath  brought  her  in  again,  to  bring  us  to  burning. 

•N.  EIDLEY. 

N.  RID.  VIII.  The  priest  turneth  himself  from  the  altar,  and 

speaketh  unto  the  people  in  an  unknown  tongue,  saying, 
Dominus  vobiscum,  orate  pro  me,  fratres  et  sorores,  &c. ; 
that  is,  The  Lord  be  with  you,  and  pray  for  me,  brothers 
and  sisters :  and  turning  from  the  people,  he  saith  in  Latin, 
"  Let  us  pray,  and  the  peace  of  the  Lord  be  always  with 
you."  Also  the  people,  or  at  least  he  which  supplieth  the 
place  of  the  people,  is  compelled  three  times  to  say,  "  Amen," 
when  he  hath  heard  never  a  word  of  that  the  priest  hath 
prayed  or  spoken,  except  these  few  words,  Per  omnia  secula 

i  Cor.  xiv.  seculorum.  Whereas  to  the  answering  of  "  Amen,"  St  Paul 
willeth  the  answerer,  not  only  to  hear,  but  also  to  understand, 
the  things  that  were  spoken. 

H.  LATIMEE. 

H.  LAT.  Yea,  and  lie,  missa  est,  must  be  sung  to  them  with  a 

great  rolling  up  and  down  of  notes,  so  bidding  them  go 
home  fasting,  when  he  hath  eaten  and  drunken  up  all  himself 
alone.  A  fellow,  once  rebuked  for  going  away  before  mass 
was  ended,  answered,  that  it  was  not  good  manners  to  tarry 
till  he  were  bidden  go.  After  that  he  was  blamed  for 
not  taking  holy  bread,  he  answered,  that  he  was  bidden  go 
away  before. 

N.  EIDLEY. 

N.  RID.  IX.     The  priest,  when  he  lifteth  up  the  Sacrament,  he 

Words  out    murmureth  to  himself  these  words  :   Ucec  quotiescunque  fece- 
Sf  the  mass!  ritis,  in  wei  memoriam  facietis ;  that  is,  "As  often  as  ye  do 
Q1  See  note  D,  at  the  end  of  the  volume.    ED.] 


AND    HUGH    LATIMER.  109 

these  things,  ye  shall  do  it  in  remembrance  of  me."  He 
seemeth  by  his  words  to  speak  unto  the  people,  but  he 
suffereth  not  his  voice  to  be  heard  of  the  people. 

H.  LATIMER. 

I  cannot  tell  to  whom  the  mass-man  speaketh  as  he  is  H.  LAT. 
a  lifting,  seeing  that  neither  Christ  bade  him  lift,  neither 
is  the  people  allowed  to  do  those  things :  and  as  for  that 
form  of  words,  it  is  of  their  own  framing.  But  the  papists 
do  all  things  well,  be  they  never  so  much  deceitful  workers, 
taking  upon  them  the  vizor  and  title  of  the  church,  as  it 
were  sheep's  clothing,  as  though  they  were  the  ministers  of 
righteousness:  whereas  indeed  they  are  the  devil's  ministers, 
whose  end  shall  be  according  to  their  deeds.  They  roll  2  cor- xi- 
out  their  Latin  language  by  heart,  but  in  so  doing  they 
make  the  poor  people  of  Christ  altogether  ignorant ;  and,  so 
much  as  in  them  lieth,  they  keep  them  back  from  that  which 
St  Paul  calleth  the  best  knowledge,  which  is,  to  know  rightly  1  Cor.  u. 
the  things  which  are  given  unto  us  of  Christ.  But  this  is 
the  matter,  so  long  as  the  priests  speak  Latin,  they  are 
thought  of  the  people  to  be  marvellous  well  learned. 

N.  RIDLEY. 
X.     "  Upon  the  which  vouchsafe  to  look  with  thy  mer-  N.  RID. 

•i»  i         i     i         »  i  11      Tin  Words  out 

ciful  and  cheerful  countenance.  What  meaneth  this  prayer  of  the  canon 
for  the  Sacrament  itself,  if  it  be,  as  they  say,  the  body  of 
Christ,  if  it  be  God  and  man?  How  should  the  Father 
not  look  with  a  cheerful  countenance  upon  his  only  well- 
beloved  Son?  Why  do  not  we  rather  pray  for  ourselves, 
that  we,  for  his  sake,  may  be  looked  upon  of  the  Father 
with  a  cheerful  countenance? 

H.  LATIMER. 

To  this  let  them  answer,  that  so  pray ;  except,  perad-  H.  LAT. 
venture,  this  prayer  was  used  long  before  it  was  esteemed 
to  be  the  body  of  Christ  really  and  corporeally.  And  then 
this  prayer  maketh  well  to  destroy  the  popish  opinion,  that  it 
is  not  the  opinion  of  the  church,  nor  so  ancient  as  they  bab 
ble.  There  be  other  prayers  of  the  mass,  which,  peradventure, 
be  of  like  effect ;  but  I  have  forgotten  all  massing  matters, 


110 


CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 


and  the  mass  itself  I  utterly  detest  and  abhor :    and  so  I 
confessed  openly  before  our  Diotrephes1  and  others. 

N.  EIDLEY. 

Aiiothw*  ^'     "Command  these  to  be   carried  by  the   hands  of 

canoVonhe  ^  ^1O^  ange^  unto  thy  high  altar,"  &c.     If  we  understand 

mass.         the   body  and  blood  of   Christ,   wherefore   do   we    so    soon 

desire  the  departure  of  them,  before  the  receipt  of  the  same  ? 

And  wherefore  brought  we  them  thither  by  making  of  them, 

to  let  him  go  so  soon? 

Write  again,  I  beseech  you,  fathers  and  brethren,  most 
dearly  beloved  in  Christ.  Spare  not  my  paper,  for  I  look  ere 
it  be  long  that  our  common  enemy  will  first  assault  me,  and 
I  wish,  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  to  be  holpen  not  only 
by  your  prayers,  but  also  by  your  wholesome  counsels. 

H.  LATIMEE. 

H.  LAT.  As  Peter,  when  he  said,  "  Let  us  make  here  three  ta- 

JVlcltt.  XVII* 

bernacles,"  spake  and  wist  not  what;   so,  peradventure,  our 
massmen  cannot  tell  what  they  say,  speaking  so  manifestly 
against  themselves.     So  that  the  old  proverb  may  very  well  be 
A  Proverb,   spoken  of  them,  '  Liars  had  need  to  have  good  memories.7 


Against  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  yet  more,  ly  Hugh  Latimer. 

ST  JOHN  BAPTIST  saith,  "A  man  can  receive  nothing, 
Heb.  v.  except  it  be  given  him  from  heaven."  And  St  Paul,  "  No 
man  taketh  honour  unto  himself,  but  he  that  is  called  of 
God,  as  was  Aaron,"  &c.  But  to  offer  Christ  is  a  great  and 
weighty  matter;  therefore  ought  no  man  to  take  it  upon 
him  without  a  manifest  calling  and  commission.  But  where 
have  our  sacrificers  so  great  an  office  committed  unto  them  2 
Let  them  shew  their  commission,  and  then  sacrifice.  Per 
adventure  they  will  say,  'do  this,7  is  all  one  to  say,  as  'offer 
this.7  Then  I  ask,  what  was  there  done?  What  was  de 
monstrated  by  this  pronoun,  'this?7  Or,  what  did  they  see 
done,  to  whom  these  words,  '  Do  this,7  were  spoken  ?  If  the 
whole  action  of  Christ,  if  all  that  Christ  did,  be  meant  by 

Q1  Gardiner,  Bishop  of  Winchester.    ED.] 


AND    HUGH    LATIMER.  Ill 

this  word,  'this,*1  and  'do,1  is  nothing  else  but  'offer1; 
then  the  whole  action  of  Christ  is  to  be  offered  of  the  priests, 
neither  can  they,  but  in  so  doing,  satisfy  the  commandment. 
And  so  it  should  appear,  that  neither  was  there  any  sacrament 
instituted  for  the  lay  people,  seeing  that  no  such  sacrifice 
hath  been  done  at  any  time,  or  is  to  be  done,  of  the  lay 
people;  neither  doth  it  avail  much  to  eat  or  drink  it,  but 
only  to  offer  it.  Now  the  text  hath  not,  that  any  part  of 
Christ's  action  was  to  offer,  forasmuch  as  the  text  doth  not 
declare  that  Christ  himself  did  then  offer.  And  so  the 
action  of  offering  is  not  contained  in  this  pronoun  'this.' 

Go  through  every  word.  First,  'to  take'  is  not  to 
offer;  'to  break1  is  not  to  offer;  'to  give  to  the  disciples1 
is  not  to  offer,  and  so  on.  Worcester2  said  once  to  me,  that 
to  offer  was  contained  in  '  Benedicere?  which  is  not  true ; 
for  ^Benedicere^  is  to  give  thanks.  But  he  had  often  given 
thanks  to  God  before,  without  any  such  offering.  And  if, 
in  giving  of  thanks,  Christ  offered  his  body,  seeing  after  he 
had  given  thanks,  he  said,  '  This  is  my  body ;'  then  in 
speaking  those  words,  he  did  not  change  the  bread  into  his 
body,  forasmuch  as  he  had  offered,  before  those  words  were 
spoken.  St  Paul  hath  these  words  to  the  Hebrews,  speak 
ing  of  Christ:  "that  he  might  be  merciful  and  a  faithful  Heb- »• 
high  priest  in  things  concerning  God,  for  to  purge  the 
people's  sins."  So  that  it  may  appear,  that  the  purging  of 
our  sins  doth  rather  hang  hereof,  that  Christ  was  the  high- 
priest  offering,  than  that  he  was  offered ;  saving  in  that  he 
was  of  himself  willingly  offered.  Then  is  it  not  necessary 
he  should  be  offered  of  others;  I  will  not  say,  a  marvellous 
presumptuous  act,  that  the  same  should  be  attempted  of 
any  without  a  manifest  vocation ;  for  it  is  no  small  matter 
to  make  an  oblation.  And  yet  I  speak  nothing,  that  it 
tendeth  partly  to  the  derogation  of  Christ's  cross;  besides 
also  that  the  offerer  ought  to  be  of  more  excellency  than 
the  thing  offered. 

The  minister  of  the  gospel  hath  rather  to  do  for  Christ  I 

with  the  people,  than  for  the  people  with  God,  except  it  be 

in  praying  and  giving  of  thanks;    and  so  hath   the   people 

as  well  to  do  with  God  for  the  minister.     The  office  of  re- 

[3  Heath,  Bishop  of  Worcester,  afterwards  Archbishop  of  York.  ED.] 


112  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

2  Cor.  v.  conciliation  standeth  in  preaching,  not  in  offering.  "  We 
are  messengers  in  the  room  of  Christ,"  saith  St  Paul ;  he 
doth  not  say,  "  We  offer  unto  God  for  the  people." 

If  Christ  offered  in  his  Supper,  for  whom,  I  pray  you? 
For  all.  Then  his  latter  oblation  made  on  the  cross  cannot 
be  thought  to  be  done  for  all  men,  for  it  was  not  done  for 
them  for  whom  the  oblation  was  made  in  the  Supper ;  except, 
peradventure,  he  offered  twice  for  the  self-same,  and  that 

i  Pet.  v.  should  argue  the  unperfectness  of  the  sacrifice.  "  Feed  ye, 
as  much  as  in  you  lieth,  the  flock  of  Christ :"  nay,  sacrifice 
rather  for  the  flock  of  Christ,  if  the  matter  be  as  it  is  pre 
tended;  and  it  is  marvel  that  Peter  did  forget  so  high  an 
office,  seeing  in  these  days  sacrificing  is  so  much  esteemed, 
preaching  almost  nothing  at  all.  Who  art  thou,  if  thou 
ceasest  to  feed?  A  good  catholic.  But  who  art  thou,  if 
thou  ceasest  to  sacrifice  and  say  mass?  At  the  least,  an 
heretic  !  From  whence  come  these  perverse  judgments,  ex 
cept,  peradventure,  they  think  that  in  sacrificing  they 
feed,  and  then  what  needeth  a  learned  pastor?  Seeing 
no  man  is  so  foolish,  but  he  can  soon  learn  to  sacrifice 
and  say  mass. 

Paul  wrote  two  epistles  to  Timothy,  and  one  to  Titus, 

Acts  xx.  two  clergymen.  He  made  also  a  long  sermon  ad  clerum, 
but  not  one  word  of  this  mass  sacrifice,  which  could  not 
have  been  done,  if  there  had  been  such  a  one,  and  so  highly 
to  be  esteemed. 

The  sinews         I  have  read  over  of  late  the  New  Testament  three  or  four 

of  the  mass 

cannot  be    times  deliberately ;  yet  can  I  not  find  there  neither  the  popish 

found  in  the  J       J  .  . 

New  Testa-  consecration,  nor  yet  their  transubstantiation,  nor  their  ob- 

ment.  * 

lation,  nor  their  adoration,  which  be  the  very  sinews  and 
marrow-bones  of  the  mass.  Christ  could  not  be  offered, 
but  propitiatorily ;  yet  now,  Hocfacite,  'Do  this,1  must  be 
as  much  as  to  say,  c  Sacrifice  and  offer  my  body  under  a 
piece  of  bread,1  available,  but  we  cannot  tell  how  much. 
Ah !  thieves,  have  ye  robbed  the  realm  with  your  sacrifice 
of  lands  and  goods;  and  now  cannot  tell  how  much  your 
sacrifice  is  available?  As  who  say,  it  is  so  much  avail 
able,  that  the  value  cannot  be  expressed,  nor  too  dear 
isai.ixiv.  bought  with  both  lands  and  goods.  "The  eye  hath  not 
seen,  and  the  ear  hath  not  heard,"  &c.  This  is  a  fine- 


AND    HUGH    LATIMER.  113 

spun  thread,  a  cunning  piece  of  work,  worthily  qualified  and 
blanched,  be  ye  sure.  But  our  nobility  will  not  see :  they 
will  not  have  that  religion  that  hath  the  cross  annexed 
to  it. 

All  popish  things  (for  the  most  part)  are  man^s  inven 
tions;   whereas  they  ought  to  have  the  holy  scripture    for 
the  only  rule  of  faith.     When  Paul  made  allegation  for  him 
self  before   Felix,  the   high  deputy,  he  did  not  extend  his 
faith  beyond  the  word  of  God  written :  "  Believing  all  things  Acts  x.\iv. 
(saith  he)  which  are  written  in  the  law  and  the  prophets;1' 
making  no  mention  of  the  rabbins.     Moreover,  "  they  have  Luke  xvi. 
Moses  and  the  prophets,"  saith  Abraham  in  the   parable; 
not  their  persons,  but  their  writings.     Also,  "  Faith  cometh  Rom- x- 
by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God."    And  again, 
"  Blessed  are  they  which  hear  the  word   of   God."     "  The  J^ke  xi-. 

»  t  m  Hieron.  in 

things,  which  have  not  their  authority  of  the  scriptures,  may  Matt.  xxm. 
as  easily  be  despised  as  allowed,"  saith  St  Hierome1. 

"  Therefore,  whether  it  be  of  Christ,  or  of  his  church,  ^tu?pect°1|[{) 
or   of  any  other  manner  of  thing,  which  belongeth  to  our  iiL  caix  6- 
faith  and  life,  I  will  not  say  if  we,"  saith   St  Augustine2, 
"which  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  to  him  that  said  'If 
we,'  but  that  also  which  forthwith  he  acldeth,  '  if  an  angel  Gal-  '*• 
from  heaven  shall  teach  anything,  besides  that  ye  have  re 
ceived  (in  the  scriptures  of  the  law  and  gospel,)  accursed  be 
he\"     Our  Diotrephes  with  his  papists  are  under  this  curse.  £SotnrJ?;eJL 
But  how  are  the  scriptures,  say  they,  to  be  understanded  ? isdescribed- 
St    Augustine    answereth,    giving   this    rule,    "  The    circum-  chrtTui) 
stances  of  the  scriptures,"  saith  he,  "  lighten  the  scriptures ;  "*• cap- 28- 
and  so  one  scripture  doth  expound  another,  to  a  man  that 
is  studious,  well  willing,  and  often  calling  upon  God  in  con 
tinual  prayer,  who  giveth  his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  desire  Luke  xL 

P  Hoc  quia  de  Scripturis  non  habet  auctoritatem,  eadem  facilitate 
contemnitur  qua  probatur.  S.  Hier.  in  Matth.  xxiii.  Op.  Ed.  Ben. 
Par.  1706,  torn.  iv.  col.  112.  ED.] 

Q3  Proinde,  sive  de  Cbristo,  sive  de  ejus  ecclesia,  sive  de  quacumque 
alia  re  quae  pertinet  ad  fidem  vitamque  vestram,  non  dicam  nos,  nequa- 
quam  comparand!  ei  qui  dixit, '  Licet  si  nos ;'  sed  omnino  quod  secutus 
adjecit,  Si  angelus  de  ccelo  vobis  annuntiaverit  prseter  quam  quod  in 
Scripturis  legalibus  et  evangelicis  accepistis,  anathema  sit.  S.  Aug.  font. 
lit.  Pet.  lib.  in.  cap.  6.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn.  ix.  col.  301.  En.] 

8 
[RIDLEY.] 


114  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

2  Pet.  i.  it  of  him1."  So  that  the  scripture  is  not  of  any  private  in 
terpretation  at  any  time.  For  such  a  one,  though  he  he  a 
layman,  fearing  God,  is  much  more  fit  to  understand  holy 
scripture  than  any  arrogant  and  proud  priest,  yea,  than  the 
bishop  himself,  be  he  never  so  great  and  glistering  in  all  his 
pontificals.  But  what  is  to  be  said  of  the  Fathers?  How 

ad  meron'  are  ^ley  to  ^e  esteemed  ?  St  Augustine  answereth,  giving  this 
rule  also ;  that  we  should  not  therefore  think  it  true,  because 
they  say  so,  do  they  never  so  much  excel  in  holiness  or  learn 
ing  ;  but  if  they  be  able  to  prove  their  saying  by  the  canonical 
scriptures,  or  by  good  probable  reason ;  meaning  that  to  be 
a  probable  reason,  as  I  think,  which  doth  orderly  follow  upon 
a  right  collection  and  gathering  out  of  the  scriptures2. 

Let  the  papists  go  with  their  long  faith ;  be  you  contented 
with  the  short  faith  of  the  saints,  which  is  revealed  unto  us 
in  the  word  of  God  written.  Adieu  to  all  popish  fantasies. 
Amen.  For  one  man,  having  the  scripture  and  good  reason 
for  him,  is  more  to  be  esteemed  himself  alone,  than  a  thou 
sand  such  as  they,  either  gathered  together,  or  succeeding 
one  another.  The  Fathers  have  both  herbs  and  weeds;  and 
papists  commonly  gather  the  weeds  and  leave  the  herbs.  And 
they  speak  many  times  more  vehemently  in  sound  of  words, 
than  they  did  mean  indeed,  or  than  they  would  have  done, 
if  they  had  foreseen  what  sophistical  wranglers  should  have 
succeeded  them.  Now,  the  papists  are  given  to  brawl  about 
words,  to  the  maintainance  of  their  own  inventions,  and  rather 
follow  the  sound  of  words,  than  attain  unto  the  meaning  of 
the  Fathers;  so  that  it  is  dangerous  to  trust  them  in  citing 
the  Fathers. 

In  all  ages  the  devil  hath  stirred  up  some  light  heads  to 
esteem  the  Sacraments  but  lightly,  as  to  be  empty  and  bare 
signs ;  whom  the  Fathers  have  resisted  so  fiercely,  that  in 
their  fervour  they  seem,  in  sound  of  words,  t  o  run  too  far  the 
other  way,  and  to  give  too  much  to  the  Sacraments,  when 

t1  The  passage  here  quoted  does  not  occur  in  the  28th  chapter, 
though  the  sense  of  the  chapter  is  the  same.  ED.] 

Q2  Alios  autem  ita  lego,  ut  quantalibet  sanctitate  doctrinaque  praepol- 
leant,  non  ideo  verum  putem,  quia  ipsi  ita  senserunt,  sed  quia  niihi  vel 
per  illos  auctores  canonicos,  vel  probabili  ratione,  quod  a  vero  non  abhor- 
reat,  persuadere  potuerunt.  Ordo  Novus.  LXXXJII.  S.  Aug.  Op.  Ed, 
Ben.  Par.  torn.  ii.  col.  190.  ED.] 


AND    HUGH    LATIMEK.  115 

they  did  think  more  measurably.  And  therefore  they  are 
to  be  ready  warily,  with  sound  judgment.  But  our  papists, 
(an  they  seem  but  a  little  sounding  to  their  purpose,)  they  will 
outface,  brace,  and  brag  all  men : — it  must  needs  be,  as  they 
will  have  it.  Therefore,  there  is  no  remedy  (namely,  now 
when  they  have  the  master-bowl  in  their  hand,  and  rule  the 
roast)  but  patience.  Better  it  is  to  suffer  what  cruelty  they 
will  put  unto  us,  than  to  incur  God's  high  indignation. 

AVherefore,  good  my  Lord,  be  of  good  cheer  in  the  Lord, 
with  due  consideration  what  he  requireth  of  you,  and  what 
he  doth  promise  you.     Our  common  enemy  shall  do  no  more 
than  God  will  permit  him.     "  God  is  faithful,  which  will  not  i  Cor.  .\. 
suffer  us  to  be  tempted  above  our  strength,"  &c.     Be  at  a 
point,  what  ye  will  stand  unto,  stick  unto  that,  and  let  them 
both  say  and  do  what  they  list.     They  can  but  kill  the  body, 
which  otherwise  is  of  itself  mortal.     Neither  yet  shall  they 
do  that  when  they  list,  but  when  God  will  suffer  them,  when 
the  hour  appointed  is  come.    To  use  many  words  with  them,  it 
shall  be  but  in  vain,  now  that  they  have  a  bloody  and  deadly 
law  prepared  for  them.     But  it  is  very  requisite  that  ye  give 
a  reasonable  account  of  your  faith,  if  they  will  quietly  hear  i  Pet.  HI. 
you ;  else  ye  know,  in  a  wicked  place  of  judgment  a  man 
may  keep  silence  after  the  example  of  Christ.     Let  them  not  Luke  xxiii 
deceive    you   with    their    sophistical    sophisms   and  fallacies; 
you  know  that  many  false  things  have  more  appearance  of 
truth,  than  things  that  be  most  true.     Therefore  Paul  giveth 
us  a  watch-word,   saying,   "  Let   no   man   deceive   you  with Co1-  »• 
likeliness  of  speech."     Neither  is  it  requisite,  that  with  the 
contentious  you  should  follow  strife  of  words,  which  tend  to 
no  edification,  but  to  the  subversion  of  the  hearers,  and  the  2  Tim- »• 
vain  bragging  and  ostentation  of  the  adversaries. 

Fear  of  death  doth  most  persuade  a  great  number.  Be 
well  ware  of  that  argument ;  for  that  persuaded  Shaxton3,  as 
many  men  thought,  after  that  he  had  once  made  a  good  pro 
fession  openly  before  the  judgment-seat.  The  flesh  is  weak ; 
but  the  willingness  of  the  spirit  shall  refresh  the  weak 
ness  of  the  flesh.  The  number  of  the  criers  under  the  altar 
must  needs  be  fulfilled.  If  we  be  segregated  thereunto,  happy  Rev- vi- 

P  Shaxton,  Bishop  of  Salisbury,  who  resigned  at  the  passing  of  the 
Six  Articles,  but  afterwards  acquiesced  in  them.     ED.]] 

8—2 


116  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY,     ETC. 

be  we.     That  is  the  greatest  promotion  that  God  giveth  in 
Philip,  i.      thjs  wori(j?  to  be  such  Philippians,  "  to  whom  it  is  given  not 
only  to  believe,  but  also  to  suffer,11  &c. 

But  who  is  able  to  do  these  things?  Surely  all  our 
ability,  all  our  sufficiency,  is  of  God.  He  requireth  and 
promiseth.  Let  us  declare  our  obedience  to  his  will,  when 
it  shall  be  requisite,  in  the  time  of  trouble,  yea,  in  the  midst 
of  the  fire.  When  that  number  is  fulfilled,  which  I  ween 
shall  be  shortly,  then  have  at  the  papists,  when  they  shall 
i  Thoss.  v.  saVi  "  Peace,  all  things  are  safe ;"  when  Christ  shall  come 
to  keep  his  great  parliament,  to  the  redress  of  all  things 
that  be  amiss.  But  he  shall  not  come,  as  the  papists  feign 
him,  to  hide  himself,  and  to  play  bo-peep,  as  it  were,  under 
a  piece  of  bread ;  but  he  shall  come  gloriously,  to  the  terror 
and  fear  of  all  papists,  but  to  the  great  consolation  and 
iThess.iv.  comfort  of  all  that  will  here  suffer  for  him.  "Comfort  your 
selves  one  another  with  these  words." 

Lo  !  sir,  here  have  I  blotted  your  paper  vainly,  and  played 
the  fool  egregiously.  But  so  I  thought  better,  than  not  to 
clo  your  request  at  this  time.  Pardon  me,  and  pray  for  me : 
pray  for  me,  I  say,  pray  for  me,  I  say.  For  I  am  some 
time  so  fearful,  that  I  would  creep  into  a  mouse-hole ;  some 
time  God  doth  visit  me  again  with  his  comfort.  So  he  cometh 
and  goeth,  to  teach  me  to  feel  and  to  know  mine  infirmity,  to 
the  intent  to  give  thanks  to  him  that  is  worthy,  lest  I  should 
rob  him  of  his  duty,  as  many  do,  and  almost  all  the  world. 

Fare  you  well. 

What  credence  is  to  be  given  to  papists,  may  appear  by 
their  racking,  writhing,  wringing,  and  monstrously  injuring  of 
God's  holy  scripture,  as  appeareth  in  the  pope's  law.  But 
I  dwell  here  now  in  a  school  of  obliviousness.  Fare  you 

i  cor.  xv.  Well,  once  again.  And  be  you  steadfast  and  immoveable  in 
the  Lord.  Paul  loved  Timothy  marvellously  well,  notwith- 

2 Tim. i.  standing  he  saith  unto  him,  "Be  thou  partaker  of  the  afflic 
tions  of  the  gospel :"  and  again,  "  Harden  thyself  to  suffer 

Rev.ii.  afflictions."  "Be  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee 
a  crown  of  life,"  saith  the  Lord. 


A 

SECOND    CONFERENCE 


BETWEEN 


RIDLEY    AND    LAT1MER 

IN   PRISON. 


N.  RIDLEY. 

IN  writing  again,  ye  have  done  me  an  unspeakable  pica-  x.  RID. 
sure ;  and  I  pray,  that  the  Lord  may  requite  it  you  in  that 
day.  For  I  have  received  great  comfort  at  your  words,  but 
yet  I  am  not  so  filled  withal,  but  that  I  thirst  much  more 
now  than  before,  to  drink  more  of  that  cup  of  yours,  wherein 
ye  mingle  unto  me  profitable  with  pleasant.  I  pray  you, 
good  father,  let  me  have  one  draught  more  to  comfort  my 
stomach.  For  surely,  except  the  Lord  assist  me  with  his 
gracious  aid,  in  the  time  of  his  service  I  know  1  shall  play 
but  the  part  of  a  white-livered  knight.  But  truly  my  trust 
is  in  him,  that  in  mine  infirmity  he  shall  try  himself  strong, 
and  that  he  can  make  the  coward  in  his  cause  to  fight  like 
a  man. 

Sir,  now  I  look  daily  when  Diotrephes  with  his  warriors?, 
shall  assault  me ;  wherefore  I  pray  you,  good  father,  for  that 
you  are  an  old  soldier  and  an  expert  warrior,  and,  God 
knoweth,  I  am  but  a  young  soldier,  and  as  yet  of  small' 
experience  in  these  feats,  help  me,  I  pray  you,  to  buckle 
my  harness.  And  now  I  would  have  you  to  think  that  these 
darts  are  cast  at  my  head  of  some  one  of  Diotrephes1  or 
Antonius^  soldiers. 

The  First  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 

All  men  marvel  greatly,  why  you,  after  the  liberty  which  AXTOX. 
you  have  granted  unto  you,  more  than  the  rest,  do  not  go  ° 
to  mass ;  which  is  a  thing,  as  you  know,  now  much  esteemed 
of  all  men,  yea,  and  of  the  queen  herself. 


N.  RID. 
Luke  ix. 


Gal.  ii. 


Matt,  xviii. 


118  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

The  Answer. 

N.  RIDLEY. 

Because  "no  man,  that  layeth  hand  on  the  plough,  and 
looketh  back,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God."  And  also  for 
the  self-same  cause,  why  St  Paul  would  not  suffer  Titus  to 
be  circumcised :  which  is,  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might 
remain  with  us  uncorrupted.  And  again,  u  If  I  build  again 
the  things  which  I  destroyed,  I  make  myself  a  trespasser." 
This  is  also  another  cause,  lest  I  should  seem  by  outward 
fact  to  allow  the  thing,  which,  I  am  persuaded,  is  contrary 
to  sound  doctrine,  and  so  should  be  a  stumbling-stock  unto 
the  weak.  But,  "  Woe  be  unto  him,  by  whom  offence  cometh! 
It  were  better  for  him,  that  a  mill-stone  were  hanged  about 
his  neck,  and  he  cast  into  the  midst  of  the  sea." 


H.  LAT. 
John  xv. 


ANTON. 
OBJECT.  II. 


H.  LATIMEK. 

Except  the  Lord  help  me,  ye  say.  Truth  it  is.  For 
"  Without  me,  saith  he,  ye  can  do  nothing ;"  much  less 
suffer  death  of  our  adversaries,  through  the  bloody  law  now 
prepared  against  us.  But  it  followeth,  "  If  ye  abide  in  me, 
and  my  words  abide  in  you,  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall 
be  done  for  you."  What  can  be  more  comfortable ?'  Sir, 
you  make  answer  yourself  so  well,  that  I  cannot  better  it. 
Sir,  I  begin  now  to  smell  what  you  mean:  by  travailing 
thus  with  me,  you  use  me,  as  Bilney  did  once,  when  he  con 
verted  me.  Pretending  as  though  he  would  be  taught  of  me, 
he  sought  ways  and  means  to  teach  me;  and  so  do  you.  I 
thank  you,  therefore,  most  heartily.  For  indeed  you  minister 
armour  unto  me,  whereas  I  was  unarmed  before  and  unpro 
vided,  saving  that  I  give  myself  to  prayer  for  my  refuge. 

The  Second  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 

What  is  it,  then,  that  offendeth  you  so  greatly  in  the 
mass,  that  ye  will  not  vouchsafe  once  either  to  hear  it  or 
see  it?  And  from  whence  cometh  this  new  religion  upon 
you?  Have  not  you  used  in  times  past  to  say  masses  your 
self? 


AND    HUGH    LATIMER.  119 

The  Answer. 
N.  KIDLEY. 

I  confess  unto  you  my  fault  and  ignorance :    but  know  N.  RID. 
you,  that  for  these  matters  I  have  done  open  penance  long 
ago,  both  at  Paul's  Cross,  and  also  openly  in  the  pulpit  at 
Cambridge;   and,   I  trust,   God  hath  forgiven  me  this  mine 
offence,  for  I  did  it  upon  ignorance.     But  if  ye  be  desirous  i  Tim.  i. 
to  know,  and  will  vouchsafe  to  hear  what  things  do  offend 
me  in  the  mass,  I  will  rehearse  unto  you  those  things,  which 
be  most  clear,  and  seem  to  repugn  most  manifestly  against 
God's  word.     And  they  be  these. 

The  strange  tongue :  the  want  of  the  shewing  of  the  Matt,  xxv 
Lord's  death :  the  breaking  of  the  Lord's  commandment  of 
having  a  communion:  the  Sacrament  is  not  communicated 
to  all  under  both  kinds,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord : 
the  sign  is  servilely  worshipped,  for  the  thing  signified : 
Christ's  passion  is  injured,  forasmuch  as  this  mass  sacrifice 
is  affirmed  to  remain  for  the  purging  of  sins.  To  be  short, 
the  manifold  superstitions  and  trifling  fondness,  which  are 
in  the  mass  and  about  the  same. 

H.  LATIMER. 

Better  a  few  things  well  pondered,  than  to  trouble  the  H.  LAT. 
memory  with  too  much.     You  shall  prevail  more  with  pray 
ing,  than  with  studying,  though  mixture  be  best ;  for  so  one 
shall  alleviate  the  tediousness  of  the  other.     I  intend  not  to 
contend  much  with  them  in  words,  after  a  reasonable  account 
of  my  faith  given;    for  it  shall  be  but  in  vain.     They  will 
say  as  their  fathers  said,  when  they  have  no  more  to  say, 
"  We  have  a  law,  and  by  our  law  he  ought  to  die."     "  Be  John  xi.v. 
ye  steadfast  and  unmoveable,"  saith   St  Paul.      And   again,  i  cor.  xv. 
persistito,  "Stand  fast."     And  how  oft  is  this  repeated,  "  If  j^'"**"* 
ye  abide,  if  ye  abide,"  &c.     But  we  shall  be  called  obstinate,  Coh  '• 
sturdy,  ignorant,  heady,  and  what  not.     So  that  a  man  hath 
need  of  much  patience,  having  to  do  with  such  men. 

The  Third  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 

But  you  know  how  great  a  crime  it  is,  to  separate  your- 
self  from  the  communion  or  fellowship  of  the  church,  and  to 


120  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

make  a  schism  or  division.  You  have  been  reported  to  have 
hated  the  sect  of  the  Anabaptists,  and  always  to  have  impugned 
the  same.  Moreover,  this  was  the  pernicious  error  of  Novatus, 
and  of  the  heretics  called  Cathari,  that  they  would  not  com 
municate  with  the  church. 

The  Answer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

N.  RID.  I  know  that  the  unity  of  the  church  is  to  be  retained 

by  all  means,  and  the  same  to  be  necessary  to  salvation. 
But  I  do  not  take  the  mass,  as  it  is  at  this  day,  for  the 
communion  of  the  church,  but  for  a  popish  device,  whereby 
both  the  commandment  and  institution  of  our  Saviour  Christ, 
for  the  oft  frequenting  of  the  remembrance  of  his  death,  is 
eluded,  and  the  people  of  God  are  miserably  deluded.  The 
sect  of  the  Anabaptists,  and  the  heresy  of  the  Novatians, 
ought  of  right  to  be  condemned;  forasmuch  as,  without 
any  just  or  necessary  cause,  they  wickedly  separated  them 
selves  from  the  communion  of  the  congregation.  For  they 
did  not  allege  that  the  Sacraments  were  unduly  ministered; 
but  turning  away  their  eyes  from  themselves,  wherewith, 
according  to  St  Paul's  rule,  they  ought  to  examine  them 
selves,  and  casting  their  eyes  ever  upon  others,  either  ministers 
or  communicants  with  them,  they  always  reproved  some  thing, 
for  the  which  they  abstained  from  the  communion,  as  from 

Cor.xi,       an  unholy  thing, 

H.  LATIMEK, 

H.LAT,  1  remember,  that  Calvin  beginneth  to  confute  the  Inte- 

Hiiarius      rim  after  this  sort,  with  this  saying  of  Hilary,  "  The  name 

cent.  A™-    of  peace  ig  beautiful9  and  the  opinion  of  unity  is  fair ;  but  who 

doubteth  that  to  be  the  true  and  only  peace  of  the  church, 

which   is   ChristVr       I   would    you    had   that   little   book, 

there   should   you   see  how  much   is   to   be  given  to  unity. 

St  Paul,  when  he  requireth  unity,  he  joineth  straight  withal, 

Rom, xv.     secundwn  Jesum  Christum,  "according  to  Jesus  Christ,"  no 

Q1  Speciosum  quidem  nomen  est  pacis,  et  pulchra  cst  opinio  unitatis  : 
sed  quis  ambigat  earn  solam  ecclesise  atque  Evangeliorum  unitam  pacem. 
essc,  qua;  Christi  est  ?  S.  Mil.  Op.  Bas.  1550.  p.  294.  ED.] 


AND    HUGH    LATIMEK. 


121 


further.  Diotrephes  now  of  late  did  ever  harp  upon  Unity, 
Unity.  "  Yea,  Sir,"  (quoth  I),  "but  in  verity,  not  in  popery. 
Better  is  a  diversity  than  an  unity  in  popery."  I  had  nothing 
again  but  scornful  jeers,  with  commandment  to  the  Tower. 

T/ie  Fourth  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 
But  admit  there  be  in  the  mass  that  perad venture  might  ANTON. 

Ol?J  ECT 

be  amended,  or  at  least  made  better :  yea,  seeing  you  will  iv. 
have  it  so,  admit  there  be  a  fault;   if  you  do  not  consent 
thereto,  why  do  you  trouble  yourself  in  vain?     Do  not  you 
know,  both  by  Cyprian  and  Augustine,  that  communion  of  ^f^' !* 
Sacraments  doth  not  defile  a  man,  but  consent  of  deeds2?      Aug. ep.  152. 

The  Answer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

If  it  were  any  one  trifling  ceremony,  or  if  it  were  some  N.  RID.  /// 
one  tiling  of  itself  indifferent,  although  I  would  wish  nothing 
should  be  doneTrT^lniri^mTreh  which  doth  not  edify  the 
same,  yet  for  the  continuance  of  the  common  quietness  I 
could  be  content  to  bear  it.  But  forasmuch  as  things  done 
in  the  mass  tend  openly  to  the  overthrow  of  Christ's  insti 
tution,  I  judge  that  by  no  means,  either  in  word  or  deed,  I 
ought  to  consent  unto  it.  As  for  that  which  is  objected 
out  of  the  Fathers,  I  acknowledge  it  to  be  well  spoken,  if 
it  be  well  understood.  But  it  is  meant  of  them  which  sup 
pose  they  are  defiled,  if  any  secret  vice  be  either  in  the 
ministers  or  in  them  that  communicate  with  them ;  and  is 
not  meant  of  them  which  do  abhor  superstition  and  wicked 
traditions  of  men,  and  will  not  suffer  the  same  to  be  thrust 

[2  S.  Cyp.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1726,  Ep.  LII.  p.  G6.  The  whole  epistle, 
which  is  too  long  for  quotation,  infers  the  truth  of  this  proposition,  but  it 
is  no  where  laid  down  in  it,  in  express  terms  like  those  of  St  Augustine. 
The  latter  in  commenting  on  the  Epistle  of  Cyprian  uses  the  words 
"  discessit  ab  eis  dissimilitudine  morum,  non  divisione  sacramentorum. 
Cont.  Gaudcnt.  lib.  n.  cap.  9. 

Quia  COMMUNIO  MALORUM  non  maculat  aliquem  participation 
sacramentorum,  sed  consensione  factorum.  S.  Aug.  Epist.  ad  popu- 
lum  factionis  Donatistana?.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn.  ii.  Ordo  novus 
Epist.  CXLI.  col.  458.  ED.] 


122  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

upon  themselves  or  upon  the  church  instead  of  God's  word 
and  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 

H.  LATIMER. 

H.  LAT.  The  very  marrow-bones  of  the  mass  are  altogether  de 

testable,  and  therefore  by  no  means  to  be  borne  withal,  so 
that,  of  necessity,  the  mending  of  it  is  to  abolish  it  for  ever. 
For  if  you  take  away  oblation  and  adoration,  which  do 
hang  upon  consecration  and  transubstantiation,  the  most  pa 
pists  of  them  all  will  not  set  a  button  by  the  mass,  as  a 
thing  which  they  esteem  not,  but  for  the  gain  that  followeth 
thereon.  For  if  the  English  Communion,  which  of  late  was 
used,  were  as  gainful  to  them  as  the  mass  hath  been  here 
tofore,  they  would  strive  no  more  for  their  mass.  From 
thence  groweth  the  grief. 

The  Fifth  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 

ANTON.  Consider  into  what  dangers  you  cast  yourself,  if  you  forsake 

Bjtcx.v.  j.jie  church      AII(J  yOU  cannot  but  forsake  it,  if  you  refuse 

to  go  to  mass.     For  the  mass  is  the  sacrament  of  unity  : 

without   the   ark  there  is  no  salvation.     The  church  is  the 

ark,  and  Peter's  ship.     Ye  know  this  saying  well  enough; 

Au|.Lib.iv.  "He  shall  not  have  God  to  be  his  father,  which  acknow- 

clp/is!'       ledgeth  not  the  church  to  be  his  mother1;'    Moreover,  "With 

out  the  church,  saith  St  Augustine,  be  the  life  never  so  well 

spent,  it  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven2." 

The  Answer. 

N.  RIDLEY. 
N.  RID.  The  hol    catholic  or  universal  church,  which  is  the  com- 


.  iii.    munion  of  saints,  the  house  of  God,  the  city  of  God,  the 
Eph.'i.        spouse  of  Christ,  the  body  of  Christ,  the  pillar  and  stay  of 

[*  Nee  habebit  Deum  Patrem.,  qui  Ecclesiam  noluerit  habere  ma- 
trem.  S.  Aug.  De  Symb.  lib.  iv.  cap.  13.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn. 
vi.  col.  582.  ED.] 

Q2  Quisquis  ergo  ab  hac  catliolica  Ecclesia  fuerit  separatus,  quantum- 
libet  laudabiliter  se  vivere  existimet,  hoc  solo  scelere.,  quod  a  Christ! 
imitate  disjunctus  est,  non  habebit  vitara.  S.  Aug.  Epist.  CXLI.  ad  pop. 
fact.  Don.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn.  ii.  col.  458.  ED.] 


AND    HUGH    LATIMER.  128 

the   truth;    this    church    I    believe,  according  to  the  Creed: 

this  church  I  do  reverence  and  honour   in   the    Lord.      But 

the  rule  of  this  church  is  the  word   of  God,   according   to 

which  rule  we  go  forward  unto  life.     "  And  as  many  as  walk  Gai.  \i. 

according  to  this  rule,"  I  say  with  St  Paul,  "  peace  be  upon 

them  and  upon  Israel,  which  pertaiueth  unto  God."  The  guide 

of  this  church  is  the  Holy  Ghost.     The  marks  whereby  this 

church  is  known  unto  me  in  this  dark  world,  and  in  the  midst 

of  this  crooked  and  froward  generation,  are  these  —  the  sin-  phil'P-  »• 

cere  preaching  of  God's  word  ;  the  due  administration  of  the 

sacraments;  charity;  and  faithful  observing  of  ecclesiastical 

discipline  according  to  the  word  of  God.     And  that  church 

or  congregation,  which  is  garnished  with  these  marks,  is  in 

very  deed  that  heavenly  Jerusalem,  which  consisteth  of  those  Rev-  xx>- 

J  J  Gal.  iy. 

that  be  born  from  above.     This   is  the   mother   of  us   all  :  John  in. 

and,  by  God's   grace,  I  will   live   and  die  the  child  of  this 

church.     Forth  of  this  (I  grant)  there  is  no  salvation,  and. 

I  suppose,  the  residue  of  the  places  objected  are  rightly  to 

be  understood  of  this  church  only.     "  In  times  past"  (saith  ?n  opere 

»  imperfecto 


Chrysostom)    "there  were   many  ways   to   know  the    church  gom.  49,  on 

of  Christ,  that  is  to  say,  by  good  life,  by  miracles,  by  chastity, 

by  doctrine,  by  ministering  the  sacraments.     But  from   that 

time  that  heresies  did  take  hold  of  the  churches,  it  is  only 

known  by  the  scriptures  which   is   the   true   church.     They 

have   all  things   in    outward   show,  which   the   true    church 

hath  in  truth.     They  have  temples  like  unto  ours,"  &c.     And 

in  the  end  conclude  th,   "Wherefore  only  by  the  Scriptures 

do  we  know  which  is  the  true  church." 

To  that  which  they  say,  "  The  mass  is  the  sacrament  of 
unity  ;  "  I  answer,  The  bread  which  we  break,  according  to  the 
institution  of  the  Lord,  is  the  sacrament  of  the  unity  of  Christ's 
mystical  body.  "  For  we,  being  many,  are  one  bread  and  l  Cor-  x- 
one  body,  forasmuch  as  we  all  are  partakers  of  one  bread." 
But  in  the  mass  the  Lord's  institution  is  not  observed: 
for  we  be  not  all  partakers  of  one  bread,  but  one  devour- 
eth  all,  &c.  So  that,  as  it  is  used,  it  may  seem  a  sacrament 
of  singularity,  and  of  a  certain  special  privilege  for  one  sect 
of  people,  whereby  they  may  be  discerned  from  the  rest, 
rather  than  a  sacrament  of  unity,  wherein  our  knitting  to 
gether  in  one  is  represented. 


124  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

H.  LATIMER. 

II.  LAT.  Yea,  what  fellowship  hath  Christ  with  Antichrist  I  There- 

2  cor.  vi.  fore  is  it  not  lawful  to  bear  the  yoke  with  papists.  "  Come 
forth  from  among  them,  and  separate  yourselves  from  them, 
saith  the  Lord.0  It  is  one  thing  to  be  the  church  indeed, 
another  thing  to  counterfeit  the  church.  Would  God,  it 
were  well  known  what  is  the  forsaking  of  the  church  !  In 
the  king's  days  that  dead  is,  who  was  the  church  of  England  ? 
The  king  and  his  fautors ;  or  massmongers  in  corners  ?  If 
the  king  and  the  fautors  of  his  proceedings ;  why  be  not  we 
now  the  church,  abiding  in  the  same  proceedings?  If  clan- 
cularly  massmongers  might  be  of  the  church,  and  yet  contrary 
the  king's  proceedings;  why  may  not  we  as  well  be  of  the 
church,  contrarying  the  queen's  proceedings? 

Not  all  that  be  covered  with  the  title  of  the  church,  are 
the  church  indeed.  u  Separate  thyself  from  them  that  are 
such,"  saith  St  Paul.  From  whom?  The  text  hath  before, 
i  Tim.  vi.  u  jf  aily  man  follow  other  doctrine,  &c.  he  is  puffed  up  and 
knoweth  nothing,"  fee.  Weigh  the  whole  text,  that  ye 
may  perceive  what  is  the  fruit  of  contentious  disputations. 
But  wherefore  are  such  men  said  to  know  nothing,  when 
they  know  so  many  things?  You  know  the  old  verses, 

Hoc  est  nescire,  sine  Christo  plurima  scirc; 

Si  Christum  bene  scis,  satis  eat,  si  ccetera  nescis. 

That  is,  "  This  is  to  be  ignorant ;  to  know  many  things 
without  Christ.  If  thou  knowest  Christ  well,  thou  knowest 
enough,  though  thou  know  no  more."  Therefore  would  St 
i  Cor.  ii.  pauj  know  nothing  but  Jesus  Christ  crucified,  &c.  As  many 
as  are  papists  and  massmongers,  they  may  well  be  said  to 
know  nothing.  For  they  know  not  Christ:  forasmuch  as 
in  their  massing  they  take  much  away  from  the  benefit  and 
merit  of  Christ. 

The  Sixth  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 

ANTON.  That  church  which  you  have  described  unto  me  is  in- 

VI.  visible,  but  Christ's  church  is  visible  and  known.  For  else 

Matt,  xviii.  wnv  would  Christ  have  said,  Die  ecclesice,  "  Tell  it  unto  the 

church?"    For  he  had  commanded  in  vain  to  go  unto  the 

church,  if  a  man  cannot  tell  which  is  it. 


AND    HUGH    LATIMER.  125 

The  Answer. 
N.  PJDLEY. 

The  church  which  I  have  described  is  visible ;  it  hath  x.  RID. 
members,  which  may  be  seen,  and  also  I  have  before  de 
clared  by  what  marks  and  tokens  it  may  be  known.  But  if 
either  our  eyes  are  so  dazzled  that  we  cannot  see,  or  that 
Satan  hath  brought  such  darkness  into  the  world  that  it  is 
hard  to  discern  the  true  church ;  that  is  not  the  fault  of 
the  church,  but  either  of  our  blindness,  or  of  Satan's  dark 
ness.  But  yet  in  this  most  deep  darkness  there  is  one 
most  clear  candle,  which,  of  itself  alone,  is  able  to  put  away 
all  darkness.  "  Thy  word  is  a  candle  unto  my  feet,  and  a  ps.  cxix. 
light  unto  my  steps." 

The  Seventh  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 

The  church  of  Christ  is  a  catholic  or  universal   church,  ANTOX. 
dispersed  throughout  the  whole  world.     This  church  is  the  vh. 
great    house    of    God.     In    this    are    good    men    and    evil 
mingled  together,  goats  and   sheep,    corn   and   chaff.     It   is  Matt.  xxv. 
the   net,  which  gathereth  all   kind   of  fishes.     This   church 
cannot  err,  because  Christ  hath  promised  it  his  spirit,  which 
shall  lead  it  into  all  truth,  and  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  Matt.  xvi. 
not  prevail  against  it ;  that  he  will  be  with  it  unto  the  end  Matt.xxviii. 
of  the  world.     Whatsoever  it  shall  loose  or  bind  upon  earth, 
shall  be  ratified  in  heaven,  &c.      This  church  is  the  pillar 
and  stay  of  the  truth;  this  is  it  for  the  which  St  Augustine1  c 
saith,   he  believeth  the  gospel.     But   this  universal    church 
alloweth    the    mass,    because    the    more    part    of   the    same cai>- 5- 
alloweth  it.     Therefore,  &c. 

The  Answer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

I  grant  that  the  name  of  the  church  is  taken  after  three  N.  RID. 
divers  manners  in  the  scripture. 

Q1  Ego  vero  evangelic  non  crederem,  nisi  me  catholics  Ecclesiae 
commovcret  auctoritas.  S.  Aug.  cont.  Ep.  Fund.  cap.  5.  Op.  Ed.  Ben. 
Par.  1685,  torn.  viii.  col.  154.  ED.] 


126 


CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 


Sometime  for  the  whole  multitude  of  them  which  profess 
the  name  of  Christ,  of  the  which  they  are  also  named  chris- 

Rom.ii.ix.  tians.     But,  as  St  Paul  saith  of  the  Jew,  "Not  every  one  is 

a  Jew,  that  is  a  Jew  outwardly,  &c.     Neither  yet  all  that 

/     he  of  Israel  are  counted  the  seed."     Even  so,  not  every  one 

I      which  is  a  Christian  outwardly,  is  a  Christian  indeed.     For 

"  If  any  man  have   not  the    Spirit   of  Christ,  the   same   is 

none  of  his."     Therefore  that  church,  which  is  his  body,  and 

iPet.  11.  of  which  Christ  is  .the  head,  standeth  only  of  living  stones 
and  true  Christians,  not  only  outwardly  in  name  and  title, 
but  inwardly  in  heart  and  in  truth. 

But  forasmuch  as  this  church,  which  is  the  second  taking 
of  the  church,  as  touching  the  outward  fellowship,  is  con 
tained  within  that  great  house,  and  hath  with  the  same 
outward  society  of  the  sacraments  and  ministry  of  the  word ; 
many  things  are  spoken  of  that  universal  church  (which  St 

doct' cList  -Augustine1   calleth  the  mingled  church)  which  cannot  truly 

m>.iii.  cap.  ke  understood,  but  only  of  that  purer  part  of  the  church. 
So  that  the  rule  of  Tyconius  concerning  the  mingled  church 
may  here  well  take  place ;  when  there  is  attributed  unto  the 
whole  church  that  which  cannot  agree  unto  the  same,  but 
by  reason  of  the  one  part  thereof;  that  is,  either  for  the 
multitude  of  good  men,  which  is  the  church  indeed ;  or  for 
the  multitude  of  evil  men,  which  is  the  malignant  church 
and  synagogue  of  Satan. 

And  [tills]  is  also  the  third  taking  of  the  church,  of 
the  which,  although  there  be  seldomer  mention  in  the  scrip 
tures  in  that  signification,  yet  in  the  world,  even  in  the 
most  famous  assemblies  of  Christendom,  this  church  hath 
borne  the  greatest  swing.  This  distinction  presupposed  of 
the  three  sorts  of  churches,  it  is  an  easy  matter,  by  a  figure 
called  synedoche,  to  give  to  the  mingled  and  universal 

[^  Regula  Secunda  Tichonii — "  Secunda  est  de  Domini  corpore  bipar 
tite,  quod  quidem  non  ita  debuit  appcllari;  non  enim  re  vera  Domini 
corpus  est  quod  cum  illo  non  erit  in  aeternum;  sed  dicendum  fuit,  de 
Domini  corpore  vero  atque  permixto,  aut  vero  atque  simulate,  vel 
quid  aliud ;  quia  non  solum  in  aeternum,  verum  etiam  nunc  hypocritse 
non  cum  illo  esse  dicendi  sunt,  quamvis  in  ejus  esse  videantur  Eccle- 
sia,  unde  poterat  ista  regula  et  sic  appellari,  ut  diceretnr  de  permixta 
Ecclesia.  S.  Aug.  de  doct.  Christ,  lib.  m.  cap.  32.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685, 
torn.  iii.  p.  1,  col.  58.  ED.] 


of  Christ,  and  the  dispersion  of  the  apostles, — in  the  time  J^-  xxxii. 

7  Theod.  Ecc 

of  Arius,  when  Constantius  was  emperor,  and  Felix,  bishop  Hist- lib-  »• 


AND    HUGH    LAT1MER.  127 

church  that  which   cannot  truly  be  understood  but  only  of 
the  one  part  thereof. 

But  if  any  man  will  stiffly  affirm,  that  universality  doth 
so  pertain  unto  the  church,  that  whatsoever  Christ  hath 
promised  to  the  church,  it  must  needs  be  understanded  of  that, 
I  would  gladly  know  of  the  same  man  where  that  universal 
church  was,  in  the  times  of  the  patriarchs  and  prophets,  of 
Noah,  Abraham,  and  Moses  (at  such  times  as  the  people 
would  have  stoned  him,)  of  Elias,  of  Jeremy, — in  the  time  Ewki.  xvu. 

_    J '      .  1  Kings  xix. 

Jer.  xxxii. 
Theod.  Ecc. 
Hist.  lib.  ii. 
cap.  15  &  16. 

of  Rome,  succeeded  Liberius? 

It  is  worthy  to  be  noted,  that  Lyra  writeth  upon  Matthew :  jj™ in 
"  The  church,  saith  he,  doth  not  stand  in  men,  by  reason  of 
their  power  or  dignity,  whether  it  be  ecclesiastical  or  secular. 
For  many  princes  and  popes  and  other  inferiors  have  been 
found  to  have  fallen  away  from  God2."     Therefore  the  church      ; 
consisteth  in  those  persons  in  whom  is  true  knowledge  and  I 
confession  of  the  faith  and  of  the  truth.     Evil  men,   (as  it  S^TS* 
is  in  a  gloss  of  the  Decrees)  are  in  the   church  in  name,  Eccles- 
and  not  in   deed3.    And  St   Augustine,    Contra   Cresconimn Lib-  *•  caP- 
grammatictm*,  saith,  "  Whosoever  is  afraid  to  be  deceived 
by  the  darkness  of  this  question,  let  him  ask  counsel  at  the 
same  church  of  it,  which  church  the    scripture    doth    point 
out  without  any  doubtfulness."     All  my  notes  which  I  have 
written  and  gathered  out  of  such  authors  as  I  have  read  in 
this  matter  and  such  like,  are  come  into  the  hands  of  such 
as  will  not  let  me  have   the  least  of  all  my  written  books. 
Wherein   I   am   enforced  to  complain  of  them  unto   God: 
for  they  spoil  me  of  all  my  labours  which  I  have  taken  in 

[3  Ecclesia  non  consistit  in  hominibus,  ratione  potestatis  vel  digni- 
tatis  ecclesiastics  vel  secularis,  quia  multi  principes,  et  summi  ponti- 
iices  ct  alii  inferiores  inventi  sunt  apostasse  a  fide.  Bibl.  Lat.  cum  gloss. 
ord.  et  Nic.  de  Lyra.  Ed.  Bas.  1502.  fol.  52.  in  Matth.  xvi.  cap.  ED.] 

P  Vel  distingue,  nam  sunt  quidam  in  Ecclesia,  nomine  et  re,  tit 
Loni  Catholici,  quidam  nomine  nee  re,  ut  praecisi,  quidam  nomine  tan- 
turn— quidam  re  tantum.  Decret.  2  Pars  Causa  xxxiii.  Quaest.  3.  de 
Penit.  dist.  i.  cap.  70.  Decret.  Grat.  Ed.  Par.  1585,  col.  2092.  ED.] 

[4  S.  Aug.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn  ix.  col.  407.  Quisquis  falli 
metuit,  hujus  obscuritete  quaestionis,  eamdem  ecclesiam  de  ilia  consulat 
quam  sine  ulla  ambiguitate  Sancta  Scriptura  demonstrat.  ED.] 


128  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

my  study  these  many  years.  My  memory  was  never  good : 
for  help  whereof  I  have  used  for  the  most  part  to  gather 
out  notes  of  my  reading,  and  so  to  place  them,  that  thereby 
I  might  have  had  the  use  of  them,  when  the  time  required. 
But  who  knoweth  whether  this  be  God's  will  that  I  should 
be  thus  ordered,  and  spoiled  of  the  poor  learning  I  had  (as 
methought)  in  store,  to  the  intent  that  I,  now  destitute  of 
that,  should  from  henceforth  learn  only  to  know,  with  Paul, 
i  cor.  11.  Christ  and  him  crucified  ?  The  Lord  grant  me  herein  to  be 
a  good  young  -scholar,  and  to  learn  this  lesson  so  well,  that 
neither  death  nor  life,  wealth  nor  woe,  &c.  make  me  ever 
to  forget  that.  Amen.  Amen. 

H.  LATIMER. 

H.  LAT.  I  have  no  more  to  say  in  this  matter ;  for  you  yourself 

have  said  all  that  is  to  be  said.  That  same  vehement  say 
ing  of  St  Augustine,  "  I  would  not  believe  the  gospel,  &c." 
was  wont  to  trouble  many  men :  as  I  remember  I  have  read 

Mel.  de  ECC.  ft  wejj  qualified  of  Philip  Melancthon,  but  my  memory  is 
altogether  slippery.  This  it  is  in  effect.  The  church  is  not 
a  judge,  but  a  witness1.  There  were  in  his  time  that  lightly 
esteemed  the  testimony  of  the  church,  and  the  outward  ministry 
of  preaching,  and  rejected  the  outward  word  itself,  sticking 
only  to  their  inward  revelations.  Such  rash  contempt  of  the 
word  provoked  and  drove  St  Augustine  into  that  excessive  vehe 
mence.  In  the  which,  after  the  bare  sound  of  the  words,  he 

Q1  Quod  Augustinus  ait,  ee  Evangelio  non  crederem  nisi  me  Catholicae 
Ecclesise  commoveret  auctoritas;"  hsec  vcrba  non  hoc  volunt,  quod 
Ecclesiss  auctoritas  major  sit  quam  evangelii  sen  scripture,  aut  quod 
Ecclesia  possit  evangelium  abolere.  Sed  quum  fides  afnrmet  aliquid 
certi  de  voluntate  Dei,  necesse  est  earn  non  ab  humana  auctoritate 
pendere,  sicut  et  Jobannes  inquit,  Deum  nemo  vidit  unquam,  Unige- 
nitus  films  qui  est  in  sinu  Patris,  ille  enarravit.  Ecclesia  tantum 
testatur  hanc  scripturam  divinitus  acceptam  esse,  sicut  nuncius  testatur 
se  mandata  Domini  perferre.  Fides  igitur  quse  affirmat  de  voluntate 
Dei  pendet  ex  ipso  verbo  Dei,  etiamsi  ad  cognitionem  verbi  invitatur 
Ecclesise  testimonio,  sicut  Judex  non  credit  narrationi,  nisi  propter 
testes.  Nee  tamen  sequitur  quod  testes  mutare  narrationem  possint: 
item  nuncio  credimus,  nee  sequitur  quod  nuncius  mutare  mandata 
possit.  Ita  Ecclesise  credimus  tanquam  testi  aut  nuncio.  Melanct. 
Op.  Ed.  Wit.  1601,  torn.  iv.  p.  502.  Disputatio  Secunda  de  Eccles. 
cap.  17—22.  ED.] 


AXD    HUGH     LATIMKR.  129 

might  seem  to  such  as  do  not  attain  unto  his  meaning,  that 
he  preferred  the  church  far  before  the  gospel,  and  that  the 
church  hath  a  free  authority  over  the  same.  But  that  godly 
man  never  thought  so.  It  were  a  saying  worthy  to  be  brought 
forth  against  the  Anabaptists,  which  think  the  open  ministry 
to  be  a  thing  not  necessary,  if  they  anything  esteemed  such 
testimonies.  I  would  not  stick  to  affirm,  that  the  more  part 
of  the  great  house,  that  is  to  say,  of  the  whole  universal 
church,  may  easily  err.  And  again,  I  would  not  stick  to 
affirm,  that  it  is  one  thing  to  be  gathered  together  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  and  another  thing  to  come  together  with  a 
mass  of  the  Holy  Ghost  going  before2.  For  in  the  first  Christ 
ruleth;  in  the  latter,  the  devil  beareth  the  swing,  and  how 
then  can  anything  be  good  that  they  go  about  ?  From  this 
latter  shall  our  six  articles  come  forth  again  into  the  light. 
they  themselves  being  very  darkness. 

But  it  is  demanded,  whether  the  sounder  or  better  part  A  question. 
of  the  catholic  church  may  be  seen  of  men  or  no  ?  St  Paul 
saith,  "  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his."1  What  manner  Answep. 
of  speaking  is  this,  in  commendation  of  the  Lord,  if  we 
know  as  well  as  he,  who  are  his?  Well,  thus  is  the  text, 
"The  sure  foundation  of  God  standeth  still,  and  hath  this 
seal  :  the  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.  And  let  every 
man  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity.11 
Now,  how  many  are  there  of  the  whole  catholic  church  of 
England  which  depart  from  iniquity?  How  many  of  the 
noblemen,  how  many  of  the  bishops  or  clergy,  how  many  of 
the  rich  men  or  merchants,  how  many  of  the  queen's  council 
lors,  yea,  how  many  of  the  whole  realm?  In  how  small 
room  then,  I  pray  you,  is  the  true  church  within  the  realm 
of  England  ?  And  where  is  it  ?  And  in  what  state  ?  I  had 
a  conceit  of  mine  own,  well  grounded  (as  they  say)  when  I 
began,  but  now  it  is  fallen  by  the  way. 

The  Eighth  Object  ion  of  the  Antonian. 


MOS. 


General  councils  represent  the  universal  church,  and  have  A 
this  promise  of  Christ  :  "  Where  two  or  three  be  gathered 
together  in  my  name,  there  am   T    in  the  midst  of  them.11  Mattl  xviii> 
[2  See  note  E.  at  the  end  of  the  volume.    ED.~| 

9 
[RIDLEY.] 


130 


CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 


If  Christ  will  be  present  with  two  or  three,  then  much  more 
where  there  is  so  great  a  multitude,  &c.  But  in  general 
councils  mass  hath  been  approved  and  used.  Therefore,  &c. 

The  Answer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

:x.  KID.  Of  the  universal  church,  which  is  mingled   of  good  and 

bad,  thus  I  think :  Whensoever  they  which  be  chief  in  it, 
which  rule  and  govern  the  same,  and  to  whom  the  rest  of 
the  whole  mystical  body  of  Christ  doth  obey,  are  the  lively 
members  of  Christ,  and  walk  after  the  guiding  and  rule  of 
his  word,  and  go  before  the  flock  towards  everlasting  life ; 
then  undoubtedly  councils,  gathered  together  of  such  guides 
and  pastors  of  the  Christian  flock,  do  indeed  represent  the 
universal  church ;  and,  being  so  gathered  in  the  name  of 
Christ,  they  have  a  promise  of  the  gift  and  guiding  of  his 
Spirit  into  all  truth.  But  that  any  such  council  hath  at  any 
time  allowed  the  mass,  such  a  one  as  ours  was  of  late,  in 
a  strange  tongue,  and  stuffed  with  so  many  absurdities,  errors, 
and  superstitions ;  that  I  utterly  deny,  and  I  affirm  it  to  be 
impossible.  For  like  as  there  is  no  agreement  between  light 

2 cor. vi.  and  darkness,  between  Christ  and  Belial;  so  surely  super 
stition  and  the  sincere  religion  of  Christ,  will-worship  and 

job.  iv.  the  pure  worshipping  of  God,  such  as  God  requireth  of 
his,  that  is,  in  spirit  and  truth,  can  never  agree  together. 
But  ye  will  say,  where  so  great  a  company  is  gathered 
together,  it  is  not  credible,  but  there  be  two  or  three 
gathered  in  the  name  of  Christ.  I  answer,  if  there  be  .one 
hundred  good,  and  two  hundred  bad,  forasmuch  as  the  de 
crees  and  ordinances  are  pronounced  according  to  the  greater 
number  of  the  multitude  of  voices,  what  can  the  lesser 
number  of  voices  avail  ?  It  is  a  known  thing,  and  a  com- 

A proverb.  mon  proverb?  "Oftentimes  the  greater  part  overcometh  the 
better." 

H.  LATIMEE. 

H.  LAT.  ^s  touching  general  councils,  at  this  present  I  have   no 

Theincon*  .    '  r 

stancyof     more  to  say,  than  you  have  said.     Only  I  refer  you  to  your 

the  English  f  J         .  J  *  *7 

parliaments  own  experience,   to   think   of   our   country    parliaments    and 

and  convo-  J 

cations.       convocations,   how  and  what  ye  have  there  seen  and  heard. 


AND    HUGH    LATIMER.  131 

The  more  part  in  my  time  did  bring  forth  the  six  articles ;  for 
then  the  king  would  so  have  it,  being  seduced  of  certain. 
Afterward  the  more  part  did  repeal  the  same,  our  good 
Josiah  willing  to  have  it  so.  The  same  articles  now  again, 
alas  !  another  greater,  but  worse  part  hath  restored.  O  what 
an  uncertainty  is  this !  But  after  this  sort  most  commonly 
are  man's  proceedings.  God  be  merciful  unto  us !  Who 
.shall  deliver  us  from  such  torments  of  mind  ?  Therefore  is  Death  th(t 

best  pny- 

death   the   best  physician,   but   unto   the  faithful,   whom  she  *'Viau  * the 

1     »  iiiithtul. 

together  and  at  once  delivereth  from  all  griefs. — You  must 
think  this  written  upon  this  occasion,  because  you  would  needs 
have  your  paper  blotted. 

The  Ninth  Object  Ion  of  the  Antonian. 

If  the   matter   should   go  thus,  that   in  general  councils  Av")N- 

OBJECT* 
men  shall  not  stand  to  the  more  number  of  the  whole  mul-  J  x . 

titude  (I  mean  of  them  which  ought  to  give  voices),  then 
should  no  certain  rule  be  left  unto  the  church,  by  the  which 
controversies  in  weighty  matters  might  be  determined.  But 
it  is  not  to  be  believed,  that  Christ  would  leave  his  church 
destitute  of  so  necessary  a  help  and  safeguard. 

The  Ansicer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

Christ,  who  is  the  most  loving  spouse  of  his  espoused  j^1*"'* 
the  church,  who  also  gave  himself  for  it,  that  he  might 
sanctify  it  unto  himself,  did  give  unto  it  abundantly  all  things 
which  are  necessary  to  salvation,  but  yet  so,  that  the  church 
should  declare  itself  obedient  unto  him  in  all  things,  and 
keep  itself  within  the  bounds  of  his  commandments,  and 
further  not  to  seek  any  thing,  which  he  teacheth  not,  as 
necessary  unto  salvation.  Now  further,  for  determination 
of  all  controversies  in  Christ's  religion,  Christ  himself  hath 
left  unto  the  church  not  only  Moses  and  the  prophets,  whom  Luke  xvK 
he  willeth  his  church  in  all  doubts  to  go  unto  and  ask  counsel 
at;  but  also  the  Gospels  and  the  rest  of  the  body  of  the 
New  Testament.  In  the  which,  whatsoever  is  hard  in  Moses  Is: 
and  the  prophets,  whatsoever  is  necessary  to  be  known  unto 
salvation,  is  revealed  and  opened. 

9—2 


Isai.  vii 


132  CONFERENCES     BETWEEN*     NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

Rom.  x.  g0  that  now  we  jiave  110  neec[  to  say,  Who  shall   climb 

into  heaven,  or  who  shall  go  down  into  the  depth,  to  tell  what 
is  needful  to  be  done?  Christ  hath  done  both,  and  hath 
commended  unto  us  the  word  of  faith,  which  also  is  abun 
dantly  declared  unto  us  in  his  word  written;  so  that  here 
after,  if  we  walk  earnestly  in  this  way,  to  the  searching  out 
of  the  truth,  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  but  through  the  cer 
tain  benefit  of  Christ's  Spirit,  which  he  hath  promised  unto 

Lukexi.      his?  we  may  find  Jt7  and  obtain  everlasting  life.     "Should  men 

isai.viii.  agk  counsei  Of  tiie  (jead  for  the  living!"  saith  Esay.  "Let 
them  go  rather  to  the  law  and  to  the  testimony,"  &c.  Christ 
sendeth  them  that  be  desirous  to  know  the  truth  unto  the 

Job. v.  scriptures,  saying,  "Search  the  scriptures."  I  remember  a 
like  thing  well  spoken  by  Hierome,  "Ignorance  of  the  scrip 
tures  is  the  mother  and  cause  of  all  errors."  And  in  another 
place,  as  I  remember  in  the  same  author,  "The  knowledge 
of  the  scriptures  is  the  food  of  everlasting  life."  But  now 
methinketh  I  enter  into  a  very  broad  sea,  in  that  I  begin 
to  shew,  either  out  of  the  scriptures  themselves,  or  out  of 
the  ancient  writers,  how  much  the  holy  scripture  is  of  force 
to  teach  the  truth  of  our  religion.  But  this  is  it  that  I  am 
now  about,  that  Christ  would  have  the  church,  his  spouse, 
in  all  doubts  to  ask  counsel  at  the  word  of  his  Father,  writ 
ten,  and  faithfully  left  and  commended  unto  it  in  both  Tes 
taments,  the  Old  and  the  New.  Neither  do  we  read  that 
Christ  in  any  place  hath  laid  so  great  a  burden  upon  the 
members  of  his  spouse,  that  he  hath  commanded  them  to 

Rom.  x\.  g0  to  the  universal  church.  "  Whatsoever  things  are  writ 
ten,"  saith  Paul,  "are  written  for  our  learning:"  and  it  is 

Eph.iv.  true  that  "Christ  gave  unto  his  church  some  apostles,  some 
prophets,  some  evangelists,  some  shepherds  and  teachers,  to 
the  edifying  of  the  saints,  till  we  all  come  to  the  unity  of 
faith,"  &c.  But  that  all  men  should  meet  together,  out 
of  all  parts  of  the  world,  to  define  of  the  articles  of  our 
faith,  I  neither  find  it  commanded  of  Christ,  nor  written  in 
the  word  of  God. 

II.  LATIMER. 

II.  L\T.  There  is  a  diversity  betwixt  things  pertaining  to  God  or 

faith,  and  politic  and  civil  matters.     For  in  the  first  we  must 


AND    HUGH    LATIMEK.  1 OO 

stand  only  to  the  scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make  us  all 
perfect  and  instructed  unto  salvation,  if  they  be  well  under-  -  Tim.  m. 
stood.  And  they  offer  themselves  to  be  well  understood  only 
to  them  which  have  good  wills,  and  give  themselves  to  study 
and  prayer.  Neither  are  there  any  men  less  apt  to  understand 
them  than  the  prudent  and  wise  men  of  the  world. 

Uut  in  the  other,  that  is,  in  civil  or  politic  matters,  often 
times  the  magistrates  do  tolerate  a  less  evil  for  avoiding  of 
a  greater  *  as  they  which  have  this  saying  oft  in  their  mouths, 
w-  Better  an  inconvenience  than  a  mischief:"  and,  "It  is  the 
property  of  a  wise  man,"  saith  one,  "  to  dissemble  many  things, 
and  he  that  cannot  dissemble  cannot  rule."  In  which  sayings 
they  bewray  themselves,  that  they  do  not  earnestly  weigh  what 
is  just,  what  is  not.  Wherefore,  forasmuch  as  man\s  laws, 
if  it  be  but  in  this  respect  only,  that  they  be  devised  by  men, 
are  not  able  to  bring  any  thing  to  perfection,  but  are  enforced 
of  necessity  to  suffer  many  things  out  of  square,  and  are  com 
pelled  sometime  to  wink  at  the  worst  things ;  seeing  they 
know  not  how  to  maintain  the  common  peace  and  quiet; 
otherwise  they  do  ordain  that  the  more  part  shall  take  place. 
You  know  what  these  kinds  of  speeches  mean,  "  I  speak  after  & J^":.. 
the  manner  of  men." — "  Ye  walk  after  the  manner  of  men." —  p£™Xvi* 
44  All  men  are  liars."  And  that  of  St  Augustine,  "  If  ye  live  Lib-  i-  Re- 
after  man's  reason,  ye  do  not  live  after  the  will  of  God1." 

The  Tenth  Objection  of  the  Antonlan. 

If  ye  say  that  councils  have  sometimes  erred,  or  may  err,  ANTON. 
how  then  should  we  believe  the  catholic  church?     For  the 
councils  are  gathered  by  the  authority  of  the  catholic  church. 


The  Answer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

From  "  may  be,"  to  "  be  indeed,"  is  no  good  argument ;  N.  RID. 
but  from  "being,"  to  "may  be,"  no  man  doubteth  but  it  is 

L1  S.  Aug.  Retract,  lib.  i.  cap.  10.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1G85,  torn.  i. 
col.  16.  In  the  9th  and  10th  chapters  the  sense  of  these  words  may 
frequently  be  inferred,  but  the  words  themselves  do  not  occur.  ED.] 


24et',T>ap' 


134  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

EccraHist     a  mos^  sure  argument.     But  now  that  councils  have  somo- 
Hb.  ii.         time  erred  it  is  manifest.     How  many  councils  were  there  in 
the  east  part  of  the   world,    which   condemned    the    Nicene 
council?    And  all   those  which  would  not  forsake  the  same, 
they   called  by  a  slanderous  name   (as   they  thought)   '  Ho- 
mousians.'     Were   not   Athanasius,    Chrysostom,   Cyril,  Eu- 
stechius,  men  veiT  well  learned  and  of  godly  life,  banished. 
ca£°34.lib'v'  anc*    condemned   as    famous    heretics,    and    that    by    wicked 
objection.    councils  ?    How  many  things  are    there    in    the  canons  and 
constitutions  of  the  councils,  which  the   papists   themselves 
do  much  mislike? 

But  here,  peradventure.  one  man  will  say  unto  me,  "  We 
will  grant  you  this  in  provincial  councils,  or  councils  of  some 
one  nation,  that  they  may  sometimes  err,  forasmuch  as  they 
do  not  represent  the  universal  church  :  but  it  is  not  to  be 
believed,  that  the  general  and  full  councils  have  erred  at  any 
time."  Here,  if  I  had  my  books  of  the  councils,  or  rather 
such  notes  as  I  have  gathered  out  of  those  books,  I  could  bring 
Answer.  something  which  should  serve  for  this  purpose.  But  now 
seeing  I  have  them  not,  I  will  recite  one  place  only  out  of 
St  Augustine,  which  (in  my  judgment)  may  suffice  in  this 


°n" 


ionat.    matter,   instead  of  many1.     "Who   knoweth  not,"  saith  he. 
lib.  i,.  cap.  s.  utliat  the  hoiy  Scripture  is  so  set  before  us,  that  it  is  not 
lawful  to  doubt  of  it,  and  that  the  letters  of  bishops  may 
be  reproved  by  other  wiser  men's  words,  and  by  councils  ; 
and  that  the  councils   themselves,    which    are    gathered    by 


Q1  Quis  {intern  nesciat  sanctam  scripturam.  canonicam,  tain  veteris 
quam  novi  Testameiiti.,  certis  suis  terminis  contineri,  eamque  omni 
bus  posterioribus  episcoporum  litcris  ita  praeponi,  ut  de  illo  omnino 
dubitari  et  disccptari  non  possit,  utrum  verum  vcl  ntrum  rectum  sit, 
quidquid  in  ca  scriptum  esse  constitcrit;  episcoporum  autem  literas, 
quse  post  confirmatum  canouem  vel  script*  sunt  vel  scribuntur.,  et 
per  sermonem  forte  sapientiorem  cujuslibet  in  ea  re  peritioris,,  et  per 
aliorum  episcoporum  graviorem  auctoritatcm  doctioremque  prudentiam. 
et  per  concilia  licere  reprehendl,  si  quid  in  eis  forte  a  vcritate  devia- 
tum  est ;  et  ipsa  concilia,  qute  per  singulas  regiones  vcl  provincias 
nunt,  plcnariorum  conciliorum  auctoritati,  qua?  fiunt  ex  universo  orbe 
Christiano,  sine  ullis  ambagibus  cedcre;  ipsaque  plenaria  sa?pc  priora 
posterioribus  emendari,  cum  aliquo  experimento  re  rum  apcritur  quod 
clausum  erat,  et  cognoscitur  quod  latcbat  ?  S.  Aug.  Op.  Ed..  Ben.  Pur. 
1085,  torn.  ix.  col.  08.  ED.] 


A\D    HUGH    LATIMER.  185 


provinces  and  countries,  do  give  place  to  the  authority  of 
the  general  and  full  councils;  and  that  the  former  general 
councils  are  amended  by  the  latter,  when  as  by  some  ex 
perience  of  things,  either  that  which  was  shut  up  is  opened, 
or  that  which  was  hid  is  known  V  Thus  much  of  Au 
gustine.  But  I  will  plead  with  our  Antonian  upon  matter 
confessed  here  with  us,  whenas  papistry  reigned.  I  pray 
you,  how  doth  that  book,  which  was  called  "  The  Bishop's  ™sehop,s 
Book2,"  made  in  the  time  of  king  Henry  VIII,  whereof  Book- 
the  bishop  of  Winchester  is  thought  to  be  either  the  first 
father  or  chief  gatherer,  how  doth  it  (I  say)  sharply  re 
prove  the  Florentine  council11,  in  which  was  decreed  the 
supremacy  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  and  that  with  the  con 
sent  of  the  emperor  of  Constantinople  and  of  the  Gre 
cians?  So  that,  in  those  days,  our  learned  ancient  fathers 
and  bishops  of  England  did  not  stick  to  affirm,  that  a 
general  council  might  err. 

But  methinkcth  I  hear  another  man  despising  all  that 
I  have  brought  forth,  and  saying,  "  These  which  you  have 
called  councils,  are  not  worthy  to  be  called  councils,  but 
rather  assemblies  and  conventicles  of  heretics."  "  I  pray  you, 
sir,  why  do  you  judge  them  worthy  of  so  slanderous  a  name  2" 
—"Because,"  saith  he,  "they  decreed  things  heretical,  con 
trary  to  true  godliness  and  sound  doctrine,  and  against  the 
faith  of  Christian  religion."  The  cause  is  weighty,  for  the 
which  they  ought  of  right  so  to  be  called.  But  if  it  be  so, 
that  all  councils  ought  to  be  despised,  which  decreed  any- !  Tim- vi- 
thing  contrary  to  sound  doctrine,  and  the  true  word,  which 
is  according  to  godliness ;  forsomuch  as  the  mass,  such  as  we 
have  had  here  of  late,  is  openly  against  the  word  of  God. 
forsooth  it  must  follow  of  necessity,  that  all  such  councils 
as  have  approved  such  masses,  ought  of  right  to  be  fled 
and  despised,  as  conventicles  and  assemblies  of  men  that 
stray  from  the  truth. 

[c  Sec  note  F.  at  the  end  of  the  volume.     ED.] 

[j*  This  council  was  originally  assembled  at  Ferrara  by  Eugene  IV. 
Jan.  10,  1438,  in  opposition  to  that  of  Bawl.  It  was  attended  by  John 
PuLcologus,  Emperor  of  Constantinople,  and  Joseph,  Patriarch  of  the 
same  city.  In  consequence  of  the  plague  it  removed  to  Florence,  Feb. 
29,  1439,  till  April  2fi,  1442.  ED.] 


136  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

of  Rome's^  Another  man  allegeth  unto  me  the  authority  of  the  bishop 
authority.  of  Rome,  "  without  wlu'ch  neither  can  the  councils,"  saith 
he,  "  be  lawfully  gathered,  neither,  being  gathered,  determine 
anything  concerning  religion."  But  this  objection  is  only 
grounded  upon  the  ambitious  and  shameless  maintenance  of 
the  Romish  tyranny  and  usurped  dominion  over  the  clergy, 
~  w^n'cn  tyranny  we  Englishmen  long  ago,  by  the  consent  of 
^ie  wno^e  realm,  have  expelled  and  abjured.  And  how 
rightly  we  have  done  it,  a  little  book  set  forth,  De  utraque 
Potestate1,  that  is,  "  Of  both  the  Powers,"  doth  clearly 
shew.  I  grant,  that  the  Romish  ambition  hath  gone 
about  to  challenge  to  itself  and  to  usurp  such  a  privilege 
cone. earth.  from  oid  time.  But  the  council  of  Carthage,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  457,  did  openly  withstand  it2;  and  also  the 
council  at  Milevite,  in  the  which  St  Augustine  was  pre- 
sent?  did  prohibit  any  appellations  to  be  made  to  bishops 
beyond  the  sea3. 

The  Eleventh  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 

St  Augustine  saith,  "  The  4good  men  are  not  to  be  for- 

XI.  saken  for  the  evil,  but  the  evil  are  to  be  borne  withal  for 

Epist.xiviii.  the  g0od>"     ye  wju  not  gay  (i  trow)  t]iat  m  OU1.  congre 
gations  all  be  evil. 

The  Answer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

N.  RIP.  I  speak  nothing  of  the  goodness  or  evilness  of  your  con 

gregations,  but  I  fight  in  Christ's  quarrel  against  the  mass, 

Q1  See  note  G.  at  the  end  of  the  volume.     ED.] 

[2  The  third  Council  of  Carthage  was  held  A.D.  397.  The  protest 
here  mentioned  is  to  be  gathered  rather  from  the  spirit  than  the 
letter  of  its  canons.  See  L'Abbe,  torn.  ii.  col.  1105.  Ed.  Par. 
1671.  ED.] 

[3  Ad  transmarina  autem  qui  putaverit  appellandum,  a  nullo  intra 
Africam  in  communionem  suscipiatur.  L'Abbe^  Cone.  torn.  ii.  col.  1543. 
Ed.  Par.  1671.  ED.] 

Q4  Non  enim  propter  malos  boni  deserendi,  sed  propter  bonos  mali 
tolerandi  sunt.  S.  Aug.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn.  ii.  col.  238. 
Ordo  novus,  Ep.  xciu.  ED.] 


AND     HUGH     LATIMER.  1  37 


which  doth  utterly  take  away  and  overthrow  the  ordinance 
of  Christ.  Let  that  be  taken  quite  away,  and  then  the  par 
tition  of  the  wall  that  made  the  strife  shall  be  broken  down. 
Now  to  the  place  of  St  Augustine  for  "  Bearing  with  the 
evil  for  the  good's  sake,"  there  ought  to  be  added  other  words, 
which  the  same  writer  hath  expressedly  in  other  places ;  that 
is,  u  If  those  evil  men  do  cast  abroad  no  seeds  of  false  doc-  ffi- cout- 

iiieras 

trine,  nor  lead  other  to  destruction  by  their  example5."  Sprites1 

The  Twelfth  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 

It  is  perilous  to  attempt  any  new  thing  in  the  church,  AM  ON. 
which  lacketh  the  example  of  good  men.     How  much  more  xfl. 
perilous  is  it,  to  commit  any  act  unto  the  which  the  example 
of  the  prophets,  of  Christ,  and  of  the  apostles  are  contrary! 
But  unto  this  your  fact,  in  abstaining  from  the  church  by 
reason  of  the  mass,  the  example  of  the  prophets,  of  Christ, 
and  of  the  apostles,  are  clean  contrary.     Therefore,  &c.     The 
first  part  of  the  argument  is  evident,  and  the  second  part  I 
prove  thus.     In  the  times  of  the  prophets,  of  Christ,  and  of 
his  apostles,  all  things  were  most  corrupt.     The  people  was 
miserably  given  to  superstition,  the  priests  despised  the  law 
of  God;  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  we  neither  read  that  the 
prophets  made  any  schisms  or  divisions;   and  Christ  himself 
haunted  the  temple,  and  taught  in  the  temple  of  the  Jews.  Luke  .\.\i. 
Peter  and  John  went  up  into  the  temple  at  the  ninth  hour  Acts  in. 
of  prayer.     Paul,  after  the  reading  of  the  law,  being  desired 
to  say  something  to  the  people,  did  not  refuse  to  do  it.     Yea 
further,  no  man  can  shew  that  either  the  prophets,  or  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  did  refuse  to  pray  together  with  others,  to 
sacrifice  or  to  be  partakers  of  the  sacraments  of  Moses'  law. 

The  Answer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

T   grant  the  former  part  of  your  argument,  and  to  the  N.  PUD. 
second  part  I  say,  that  although  it  contain  many  true  things, 

[5  S.  Aug.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1G85,  torn.  ix.  col.  58.  The  words  here 
quoted  do  not  occur  in  the  passages  referred  to,  but  the  sense  of  the 
two  chapters  is  the  same.  ED.] 


138  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN"    NICHOLAS     RIDLEY 

as  of  the  corrupt  state  in  the  times  of  the  prophets,  of  Christ, 
and  the  apostles ;  and  of  the  temple  being  haunted  of  Christ 
and  his  apostles;  yet,  notwithstanding,  the  second  part  of 
your  argument  is  not  sufficiently  proved;  for  ye  ought  to 
have  proved,  that  either  the  prophets,  either  Christ,  or  his 
apostles,  did  in  the  temple  communicate  with  the  people 
in  any  kind  of  worshipping  which  is  forbidden  by  the  law 
of  God,  or  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God.  But  that  can 
no  where  be  shewed.  And  as  for  the  church,  I  am  not 
angry  with  it,  and  I  never  refused  to  go  to  it,  and  to  pray 
with  the  people,  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  to  do  all  other 
things,  whatsoever  may  agree  with  the  word  of  God.  St 

JSjSjgcxix'  ^U8'us^me^  speaking  of  the  ceremonies  of  the  Jews1,  (I  sup 
pose  in  the  epistle  ad  Januarium,)  although  he  grant  they 
grievously  oppressed  that  people,  both  for  the  number  and 
bondage  of  the  same,  yet  he  calleth  them  burdens  of  the  law, 
which  were  delivered  unto  them  in  the  word  of  God,  not 
presumptions  of  men ;  which  notwithstanding,  if  they  were 
not  contrary  to  God's  word,  might  after  a  sort  be  borne 
withal.  But  now,  seeing  they  are  contrary  to  those  which  are 
in  the  word  of  God  written,  whether  they  ought  to  be  borne 
of  any  Christian  or  no  let  him  judge  which  is  spiritual,  which 
feareth  God  more  than  man,  and  loveth  everlasting  life  more 
than  this  short  and  transitory  life.  To  that  which  was  said,  that 
my  fact  lacketh  example  of  the  godly  fathers  that  have  gone 

Tobit  i.  before,  the  contrary  is  most  evident  in  the  history  of  Tobit : 
of  whom  it  is  said,  that  when  all  other  went  to  the  golden 
calves,  which  Hieroboam.  the  King  of  Israel  had  made,  he 
himself  alone  fled  all  their  companies,  and  got  him  to  Je 
rusalem  unto  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  and  there  worshipped 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel. 

iKinifsxiii.  Did  not  the  man  of  God  threaten  grievous  plagues,  both 
unto  the  priests  of  Bethel,  and  to  the  altar  which  Hieroboam 
had  there  made  after  his  own  fantasy?  Which  plagues  king 
Josiah,  the  true  minister  of  God,  did  execute  at  the  time 
appointed.  And  where  do  we  read  that  the  prophets  or  the 

2  Kings       apostles  did  agree  with  the  people  in  their  idolatry!     When- 

Q1  Legalibus  tamen  sarcinis,  non  humanis  pnesumtionibus  (Judtri) 
subjiciuntur.  S.  Aug.  Epist.  cxix,  cap.  19,,  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685. 
Ordo  novus,  Epist.  LV.  torn.  ii.  col.  142.  ED.] 


\  I. 


AND    HUGH    LATIMER.  139 

as  the  people  went  a  whoring  with  their  hill  altars,  for  what 

cause   ([  pray  you)   did  the  prophets  rebuke  the  people  so 

much,  as  for  their  false  worshipping  of  Cod,  after  their  own 

minds,  and  not  after  God's  word?     For  what  was  so  much 

as  that  was?     Wherefore  the  false  prophets  ceased   not   to  Jer- xx 

malign  the  true  prophets  of  God;  therefore  they  beat  them,  Heb. \ 

they  banished  them,  &c.      How  else,    [  pray  you,  can  you 

understand   that   St   Paul   allegeth   when   he   says,     "  What  -('">'- 

concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial?     Either  what  part  hath  the 

believer  with  the  infidel?     Or  how  agreeth  the  temple  of  God 

with  images?     For  ye  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God,  as 

God  himself  hath  said,  T  will  dwell  among  them,  and  walk  Levit- *xvi. 

among  them,  and  will  be  their   God,  and  they  shall  be  my 

people :    wherefore  come  out  from  among  them,  and  separate  Isai- in- 

yourselves    from    them,    saith    the    Lord,    and    touch    none 

unclean  thing ;    so  will  1  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father 

unto   you,   and   ye   shall   be   my   sons   and   daughters,   saith 

the    Lord   Almighty."''     Judith   that   holy  woman  would   not  Judith  .\ii. 

suffer  herself  to   be   defiled  with  the   meats  of  the  wicked. 

All   the  saints   of  God  which  truly  feared  God,  when  they 

have   been   provoked   to   do   anything,  which  they   knew   to 

be  contrary  to   God's  law,  have  chosen   to  die   rather   than 

to  forsake  the  laws  of  their  God. 

Wherefore  the   Maccabees  put  themselves  in   danger   of'2Macc-vii- 
death  for  the  defence  of  the  law,  yea,   and  at  length  died 
manfully  in  the  defence  of  the  same.     "  If  we  do   praise,""  Cunt-  S('r- 

*  ,  Epist.  Gau- 

saith   St   Augustine,   "  the   Maccabees,  and  that  with  great  I,1.*'"1"* ca^- 
admiration,  because  they  did  stoutly  stand  even  unto  death  for 
the  laws  of  their  country,  how  much  more  ought  we  to  suffer 
all  things  for  our  baptism,  for  the  sacrament  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ2,  fcc.T     But  the  supper  of  our  Lord,  such 


p  S.  Aug.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1G85,  torn.  ix.  col.  0&5.  The  words 
here  quoted  do  not  occur — the  nearest  approach  to  them  is  as  follows : — 
Sed  (scriptura  Macchabseorum)  recepta  est  ab  Ecclcsia  non  inutilitcr, 
si  sobrie  legatur  vel  audiatur,  maxim e  propter  illos  Mucchabteos  qui 
pro  lege  Dei,  sicut  veri  martyres,  a  pcrsecutoribus  tain  indigna  atqm- 
horrcnda  perpessi  sunt,  ut  etiam  hinc  populus  Christianus  advcrteret. 
quoniam  non  snnt  condignoe  passiones  hujus  temporis  ad  futuram 
gloriam  qute  revelabitur  in  nobis,  pro  quibus  passus  cst  Christus. — Ib. 
col.  655.  ED.] 


140  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

a  one,  I  mean,  as  Christ  eommandeth  us  to  celebrate,  the 
mass  utterly  abolisheth  and  corrupteth  most  shamefully. 

H.  LATIMER. 

H.  LAI.  Who  am  I,  that  1  should  add  any  thing  to  this,  which 

you  have  so  well  spoken  2  Nay,  I  rather  thank  you,  that 
you  have  vouchsafed  to  minister  so  plentiful  armour  to 
me,  being  otherwise  altogether  unarmed :  saving  that  he  can 
not  be  left  destitute  of  help,  which  rightly  trusteth  in  the 
help  of  God.  I  only  learn  to  die  in  reading  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  am  ever  now  and  then  praying  unto  my  God, 

PS.  i.\.         that  he  will  be  an  helper  unto  me  in  time  of  need. 

The  Thirteenth  Objection  of  tlie  Antonian. 

ANTOX.  Seeing  you  are  so  obstinately  set  against  the  mass,  that 

Xlii.  you  affirm,  because  it  is  done  in  a  tongue  not  understanded  of 
the  people,  and  for  other  causes,  (I  cannot  tell  what,)  there 
fore  it  is  not  the  true  sacrament  ordained  of  Christ,  I  begin 
to  suspect  you,  that  you  think  not  catholicly  of  baptism  also. 
Is  our  baptism,  which  we  do  use  in  a  tongue  unknown  to 
the  people,  the  true  baptism  of  Christ  or  not?  If  it  be, 
then  doth  not  the  strange  tongue  hurt  the  mass.  If  it  be 
not  the  baptism  of  Christ,  tell  me  how  were  you  baptized? 
Or  whether  ye  will,  (as  the  Anabaptists  do)  that  all  which 
were  baptized  in  Latin,  should  be  baptized  again  in  the 
English  tongue. 

The  Answer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

X.  RID.  Although  I  would  wish  baptism  to  be  given  in  the  vulgar 

tongue,  for  the  peopled  sake,  which  are  present,  that  they 
may  the  better  understand  their  own  profession,  and  also  be 
more  able  to  teach  their  children  the  same;  yet,  notwith 
standing,  there  is  not  like  necessity  of  the  vulgar  tongue  in 
baptism,  as  in  the  Lord's  supper.  Baptism  is  given  to  chil 
dren,  who  by  reason  of  their  age  are  not  able  to  understand 
what  is  spoken  unto  them,  (in)  what  tongue  soever  it  be.  The 
Lord's  supper  is  and  ought  to  be  given  to  them  that  are 


AND    HUGH    LA.TIMKR.  141 

waxen.  Moreover  in  baptism,  which  is  accustomed  to  be 
given  to  children  in  the  Latin  tongue,  all  the  substantial 
points,  (as  a  man  would  say)  which  Christ  commanded  to 
be  done,  are  observed.  And  therefore  I  judge  that  baptism 
to  be  a  perfect  and  true  baptism,  and  that  it  is  not  only 
not  needful,  but  also  not  lawful,  for  any  man  so  christened 
to  be  christened  again.  But  yet,  notwithstanding,  they  ought 
to  be  taught  the  catechism  of  the  Christian  faith,  when  they 
shall  come  to  years  of  discretion;  which  catechism  whoso 
ever  despiseth,  or  will  not  desirously  embrace  and  willingly 
learn,  in  my  judgment  he  playeth  not  the  part  of  a  Christian 
man.  But  in  the  popish  mass  are  wanting  certain  substan- 
tials,  that  is  to  say,  things  commanded  by  the  word  of  God 
to  be  observed  in  ministration  of  the  Lord's  supper,  of  the 
which  there  is  sufficient  declaration  made  before. 

H.  LATIMEE. 

Where  you  say,  "  I  would  wish,"  surely  I  would  wish  ir-  Lvi- 
that  you  had  spoken  more  vehemently,  and  to  have  said, 
"  It  is  of  necessity,  that  all  things  in  the  congregation  should 
be  done  in  the  vulgar  tongue,  for  the  edifying  and  comfort 
of  them  that  are  present."  Notwithstanding  that  the  child 
itself  is  sufficiently  baptized  in  the  Latin  tongue. 

The  Fourteenth  Objection  of  the  Antonian. 

Forasmuch  as  I  perceive  you  are  so  stiffly,  I  will  not  ANTON. 
say  obstinately,  bent,  and  so  wedded  to  your  own  opinion,  xiv! * 
that  no  gentle  exhortations,  no  wholesome  counsels,  no  other 
kind  of  means  can  call  you  home  to  a  better  mind;  there 
remaineth  that  which  in  like  cases  was  wont  to  be  the  only 
remedy  against  stiffnecked  and  stubborn  persons;  that  is, 
you  must  be  hampered  by  the  laws,  and  compelled  either 
to  obey,  whether  ye  will  or  no,  or  else  to  suffer  that  which 
a  rebel  to  the  laws  ought  to  suffer.  Do  you  not  know,  that 
whosoever  refuseth  to  obey  the  laws  of  the  realm,  he  be- 
wrayeth  himself  to  be  an  enemy  to  his  country?  Do  you 
not  know,  that  this  is  the  readiest  way  to  stir  up  sedition 
and  civil  war?  Tt  is  better  that  you  should  bear  your  own 
sin,  than  that,  through  the  example  of  your  breach  of  the 


142  CONFERENCES     BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    EIDLEY 

common  laws,  the  common  quiet  should  he  disturbed.  How 
can  you  say  you  will  he  the  queen's  true  subject,  whenas 
you  do  openly  profess  that  you  will  not  keep  her  laws  2 

The  Answer. 
N.  RIDLEY. 

RID.  O  !  heavenly  Father,  the  Father  of  all  wisdom,  under 

standing,  and  true  strength,  I  beseech  thee,  for  thy  only 
Son  our  Saviour  Christ's  sake,  look  mercifully  upon  me, 
wretched  creature,  and  send  thine  Holy  Spirit  into  my  breast ; 
that  not  only  I  may  understand  according  to  thy  wisdom, 
how  this  pestilent  and  deadly  dart  is  to  be  borne  off,  and 
with  what  answer  it  is  to  be  beaten  back ;  but  also,  when 
I  must  join  to  fight  in  the  field  for  the  glory  of  thy  name, 
that  then  I,  being  strengthened  with  the  defence  of  thy 
right  hand,  may  manfully  stand  in  the  confession  of  thy 
faith  and  of  thy  truth,  and  continue  in  the  same  unto  the  end 
of  my  life,  through  the  same  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

Now  to  the  objection.  I  grant  it  to  be  reasonable,  that 
he  which  by  words  and  gentleness  cannot  be  made  yield  to 
that  is  right  and  good,  should  be  bridled  by  the  strait  cor 
rection  of  the  laws.  That  is  to  say,  he  that  will  not  be 
subject  to  God's  word,  must  be  punished  by  the  laws.  It 
is  true  that  is  commonly  said,  4t  He  that  will  not  obey 
the  gospel  must  be  tamed  and  taught  by  the  rigour  of  the 
law."  But  these  things  ought  to  take  place  against  him 
which  refuseth  to  do  that  is  right  and  just,  according  to 
true  godliness,  not  against  him  which  cannot  quietly  bear 
superstitions  and  the  overthrow  of  Christ's  institutions,  but 
doth  hate  and  detest  from  his  heart  such  kind  of  pro 
ceedings,  and  that  for  the  glory  of  the  name  of  God.  To 
that  which  ye  say,  a  transgressor  of  the  common  laws  be- 
wrayeth  himself  to  be  an  enemy  of  his  country,  surely  a 
man  ought  to  look  unto  the  nature  of  the  laws,  what  manner 
of  laws  they  be  which  are  broken.  For  a  faithful  Christian 
ought  not  to  think  alike  of  all  manner  of  laws;  but  that 
saying  ought  only  truly  to  be  understanded  of  such  laws  as 
be  not  contrary  to  God's  word.  Otherwise,  whosoever  love 
their  country  in  truth,  that  is  to  say,  in  God,  they  will 


AND    HUGH    LAT1MER.  143 


always  judge,  (if  at  any  time  the  laws  of  God  and  man  be 
the  one  contrary  to  the  other,)  that  a  man  ought  rather  to 
obey  God  than  man.  And  they  that  think  otherwise,  and  Acts  h. 
pretend  a  love  to  their  country,  forasmuch  as  they  make 
their  country  to  fight,  as  it  were,  against  God,  in  whom 
consisted!  the  only  stay  of  the  country,  surely  I  do  think, 
that  such  are  to  be  judged  most  deadly  enemies  and  traitors 
to  their  country.  For  they  that  fight  against  God,  which  is 
the  safety  of  their  country,  what  do  they  else  but  go  about 
to  bring  upon  their  country  a  present  ruin  and  destruction? 
But  they  that  do  so,  are  worthily  to  be  judged  enemies  to 
their  country  and  betrayers  of  the  realm.  Therefore,  &c. 

Hut  this  is  the  readiest  way,  ye  say,  to  stir  up  sedition, 
to  trouble  the  quiet  of  the  commonwealth ;  therefore  are 
these  things  to  be  repressed  in  time  by  force  of  laws.  Behold,  Satan_ami 

0  ...  lus  luuus- 

Satan  doth  not  cease  to  practise  his  old  guiles  and  accus-  tors  do  ai- 

1  '  \v;iys  charge 

tomed    subtleties.     He   hath   ever   this   dart   in   a   readiness  the  godly 
to  hurl  against  his  adversaries,  to  accuse  them  of  sedition,  sedition. 
that  he  may  bring  them  (if  he  can)  in  danger  of  the  higher 
powers ;   for  so  hath  he  by  his  ministers  always  charged  the 
prophets   of  God.      Ahab   said   unto    Elias,    "Art   thou   he  i  Kings 
that  troubleth  Israel  T     The  false  prophets  also  complained 
to  their   princes   of  Jeremy,  that   his   words   were   seditious Jt>r- xxvi- 
and  not  to  be  suffered.     Did  not  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  L«ke  \\i\\. 
falsely   accuse   Christ   as   a   seditious   person,   and   one   that 
spake  against  Csesar?     Did  they  not   at   last   cry,   "  If  you Jo!m  *«• 
let  this  man  go,  you  are  not  Caesar's  friend  f     The  orator 
Tertullus,  how  doth  he  accuse  Paul  before   Felix,  the  high- 
deputy!     "We  have  found  this  man   (saith  he)   a  pestilent  Act* xxiv- 
fellow,  and  a  stirrer  of  sedition   unto   all    the   Jews   in   the 
whole  world,1"  &;c. 

But  I  pray  you,  were  these  men  as  they  were  called, 
seditious  persons,  Christ,  Paul,  and  the  prophets?  God  for 
bid!  But  they  were  of  false  men  falsely  accused.  And 
wherefore,  I  pray  you,  but  because  they  reproved  before  the 
people  their  guiles,  superstition  and  deceits?  And  when  the 
other  could  not  bear  it,  and  would  gladly  have  had  them 
taken  out  of  the  way,  they  accused  them  as  seditious  persons 
and  troublers  of  the  commonwealth,  that  being  by  this  means 
made  hateful  to  the  people  and  princes,  they  might  the  more 


144  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY 

easily  be  snatched  up,  to  be  tormented  and  put  to  death. 
But  how  far  they  were  from  all  sedition,  their  whole  doc 
trine,  life,  and  conversation,  doth  well  declare.  For  that 
which  was  objected  last  of  all,  that  he  cannot  be  a  faithful 
subject  to  his  prince,  which  professeth  openly  that  he  will  not 
observe  the  laws  which  the  prince  hath  made,  here  I  would 
wish  that  I  might  have  an  indifferent  judge,  and  one  that 
feareth  God,  to  whose  judgment  in  this  cause  T  promise  I 
will  stand.  I  answer  therefore,  a  man  ought  to  obey  his 
prince,  but  in  the  Lord,  and  never  against  the  Lord.  For 
he  that  knowingly  obeyeth  his  prince  against  God,  doth  not 
a  duty  to  the  prince,  but  is  a  deceiver  of  the  prince,  and 
an  helper  unto  him  to  work  his  own  destruction.  He  is 
also  unjust,  which  giveth  not  the  prince  that  is  the  prince's, 
and  to  God  that  is  God's.  Here  cometh  to  my  remem- 
HistdiibCiCv  ^rance  ^ia*  notable  saying  of  Yalentinianus,  the  emperor, 
rap.  5.  for  choosing  the  bishop  of  Milan.  "  Set  him,"  saith  he, 
"in  the  bishop's  seat,  to  whom,  if  we,  as  man,  do  offend  at 
msMiif'tv  any  time,  we  may  submit  ourselves1."  Polycarpus,  the  most 
cap.  is.  constant  martyr,  when  he  stood  before  the  chief  ruler,  and 
was  commanded  to  blaspheme  Christ,  and  to  swear  by  the 
fortune  of  Csesar,  &c.  he  answered  with  a  mild  spirit,  "  We 
are  taught;,"  saith  he,  "to  give  honour  unto  princes  and 
those  powers  which  be  of  God,  but  such  honour  as  is  not 
contrary  to  God's  religion2." 

Hitherunto  ye  see,  good  father,  how  I  have  in  words 
only  made,  as  it  were,  a  flourish  before  the  fight  which  I 
shortly  look  after,  and  how  I  have  begun  to  prepare  certain 
kinds  of  weapons  to  fight  against  the  adversaries  of  Christ, 
and  to  muse  with  myself  how  the  darts  of  the  old  enemy 
may  be  borne  off,  and  after  what  sort  I  may  smite  him 
again  with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit.  T  learn  also  hereby  to  be 
Eph.  vi.  in  use  with  armour,  and  to  assay  how  F  can  gp  armed. 

1  OIOVTOV    Crf    ovv    K.OLI    vvv    TO??    a'oyiepaTJKO??    eyKctdiCpva-ctTC 
t»7reos   KCU   */Ve??,   ol  rr]v  (Bacri\eiav   iQvvovres,   Ct'Aucjbu/aK   aura? 


T0t<?  r]/J.€T6pa<;  v7roK\ivia/ji€v  K€(pa\as,  KO.I  TOU<?   Trap    enelvov  yevo/j.evovs 
(avQptoirovs  yap  oj/ra?  KO.\  Trpo<T*^aieiv  avayin;)  609  larpiKtjv 
a   OepaTreiav.     Theod.   Ecc.  Hist.  lib.  iv.  cap.  6.  Ed.  Paris. 
1673,  p.  157.     ED.] 

P  Euseb.  Ecc.  Hist.  lib.  iv.  cap.  15.  Ed.  Par.  Valesio,  1659,  p.  132T.   ED.] 


AND    HUGH     LAT1MER.  145 

In  Tynedale,  where  I  was  born,  not  far  from  the  Scottish 
borders,  I  have  known  my  countrymen  watch  night  and  day 
in  their  harness,  such  as  they  had,  that  is,  in  their  jacks, 
and  their  spears  in  their  hands,  (you  call  them  northern 
gads),  especially  when  they  had  any  privy  warning  of  the 
coining  of  the  Scots.  And  so  doing,  although  at  every 
such  bickering  some  of  them  spent  their  lives,  yet  by  such 
means,  like  pretty  men,  they  defended  their  country.  And 
those  that  so  died,  I  think  that  before  God  they  died  in  a 
good  quarrel,  and  their  offspring  and  progeny  all  the  country 
loved  them  the  better  for  their  fathers1  sakes. 

And  in  the  quarrel  of  Christ  our  Saviour,  in  the  defence 
of  his  own  divine  ordinances,  by  the  which  he  giveth  unto 
us  life  and  immortality,  yea,  in  the  quarrel  of  faith  and 
Christian  religion,  wherein  resteth  our  everlasting  salvation, 
shall  we  not  watch?  Shall  we  not  go  always  armed,  ever 
looking  when  our  adversary  (which,  like  a  roaring  lion,  seeketh  l  Pet- v- 
whom  he  may  devour,)  shall  come  upon  us  by  reason  of 
our  slothfulness  ?  Yea,  and  woe  be  unto  us,  if  he  can  oppress  Matt.  xxiv 
us  at  unawares,  which  undoubtedly  he  will  do,  if  he  find  us 
sleeping.  Let  us  awake  therefore ;  for  if  the  good  man  of 
the  house  knew  what  hour  the  thief  would  come,  he  would 
surely  watch,  and  not  suffer  his  house  to  be  broken  up.  Let 
us  awake  therefore,  I  say,  and  let  us  not  suffer  our  house 
to  be  broken  up.  "Resist  the  devil,"  says  St  James,  "and  James iv. 
he  will  fly  from  you."  Let  us  therefore  resist  him  man 
fully,  and,  taking  the  cross  upon  our  shoulders,  let  us  follow 
our  captain  Christ,  who  by  his  own  blood  hath  dedicated 
and  hallowed  the  way,  which  leadeth  unto  the  Father,  that 
is,  to  the  light  which  no  man  can  attain,  the  fountain  of 
everlasting  joys.  Let  us  follow,  I  say,  whither  he  calleth  i  Tim.  vi. 
and  allureth  us,  that  after  these  afflictions,  which  last  but 
for  a  moment,  whereby  he  trieth  our  faith,  as  gold  by  the 
fire,  we  may  everlastingly  reign  and  triumph  with  him  in 
the  glory  of  the  Father,  and  that  through  the  same  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  with  the  Father  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  be  all  honour  and  glory,  now  and  for  ever. 
Amen.  Amen. 

Good   father,  forasmuch   as  I  have  determined  with  my 
self  to   pour   forth   these   my   cogitations   into    your   bosom, 

10 
[RIDLEY.] 


146  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN'     NICHOLAS     RIDLEY 

here,  methinketh,  I  see  you  suddenly  lifting  up  your  head 
towards  heaven,  after  your  manner,  and  then  looking  upon 
me  with  your  prophetical  countenance,  and  speaking  unto  me 
with  these  or  like  words:  "Trust  not,  my  son,  (I  beseech 
you,  vouchsafe  me  the  honour  of  this  name,  for  in  so  doing 
I  shall  think  myself  both  honoured  and  loved  of  you,)  trust 
not,  I  say,  my  son,  to  these  word-weapons,  for  the  kingdom 

icor.  iv.     of    God    is   not    in   words,    but    in   power.     And   remember 

Matt. x.  always  the  words  of  the  Lord,  'Do  not  imagine  aforehand, 
what  and  how  you  will  speak,  for  it  shall  be  given  you  even 
in  that  same  hour,  what  ye  shall  speak ;  for  it  is  not  ye 
that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your  Father  which  speaketh 
in  you/" 

I  pray  you  therefore,  father,  pray  for  me,  that  I  may 
cast  my  whole  care  upon  him,  and  trust  upon  him  in  all 
perils.  For  I  know  and  am  surely  persuaded,  that  what 
soever  I  can  imagine  or  think  aforehand,  it  is  nothing  ex- 

Eph,  vi.  cept  he  assist  me  with  his  Spirit,  when  the  time  is.  I  beseech 
you  therefore,  father,  pray  for  me,  that  such  a  complete 
harness  of  the  Spirit,  such  boldness  of  mind,  may  be  given 

Fs.xiiv.  unto  me,  that  I  may  out  of  a  true  faith  say  with  David,  "I 
will  not  trust  in  my  bow,  and  it  is  not  my  sword  that  shall 

PS.  cxivii.  gave  me.  For  he  hath  no  pleasure  in  the  strength  of  a  horse, 
&c.  But  the  Lord's  delight  is  in  them  that  fear  him,  and 
put  their  trust  in  his  mercy.'1  I  beseech  you,  pray,  pray 
that  I  may  enter  this  fight  only  in  the  name  of  God,  and 
that  when  all  is  past,  I,  being  not  overcome,  through  his 
gracious  aid,  may  remain  and  stand  fast  in  him  till  that 
day  of  the  Lord,  in  the  which  to  them  that  obtain  the  victory 

Rev.  ii.  shall  be  given  the  lively  manna  to  eat,  and  a  triumphant 
crown  for  evermore. 

Now,  father,  I  pray  you,  help  me  to  buckle  on  this 
gear  a  little  better;  for  ye  know  the  deepness  of  Satan, 
being  an  old  soldier,  and  you  have  collared  with  him  ere 
now,  blessed  be  God  that  hath  ever  aided  you  so  well!  I 
suppose  he  may  well  hold  you  at  the  bay.  But  truly,  he 
will  not  be  so  willing,  I  think,  to  join  with  you,  as  with  us 
younglings. 

Sir,  I  beseech  you,  let  your  servant  read  this  my  babbling 
unto  vou ;  and  now  and  then,  as  it  shall  seem  unto  YOU  best, 


A\D    HUGH    LAT1MEK. 


147 


let  your  pen  run  on  my  book.     Spare  not  to  blot  my  paper: 
I  give  you  good  leave. 

As  touching  this  Antonian,  whom  I  have  here  made  mine 
adversary,  lest  peradventure  any  imagination  might  carry  you 
amiss,  and  make  you  think  otherwise  than  I  meant,  know  you 
that  I  have  alluded  to  one  Antony,  a  most  cruel  bishop  of  the 
Arians,  and  a  very  violent  persecutor  of  them  that  were 
catholic  and  of  a  right  judgment.  To  whom  Hunericus,  a 
tyrant  of  the  Vandals,  knowing  Antony's  fierceness,  com 
mitted  his  whole  authority,  that  he  should  either  turn  the 
Christians  which  believed  well  unto  his  false  religion,  or  else 
to  punish  and  torment  them  at  his  pleasure.  Which  thing 
Antonius  took  in  hand  to  do,  and  executed  the  same  against 
a  great  number,  but  specially  against  two  most  godly  bishops, 
and  most  constant  in  the  doctrine  which  was  according  to 
godliness.  The  name  of  the  one  was  Eugenius,  an  aged 
man;  the  other  was  named  Habet-Deum.  This  latter,  as  it 
appears  by  Victor's  history  of  the  persecutions  of  the  Vandals, 
both  the  tyrant  and  the  false  counterfeit  bishop  desired  much  Afric-  lib-iii- 
to  have  turned  unto  their  most  pestilent  heresy.  This  Habet- 
Deum  was  bishop  of  the  city  of  Tamullume,  where  Antony 
had  been  bishop  before.  And  when  Antony  had  vexed  him 
(as  the  story  saith)  with  diverse  and  sundry  persecutions, 
and  had  found  the  soldier  of  Christ  always  constant  in  his 
confession,  it  is  said,  that  at  length  in  a  great  rage  he 
swore  and  said  to  his  friends  on  this  wise :  "  If  I  make  him 
not  of  our  religion,  then  am  I  not  Antony."  It  is  incredible 
what  harms  and  troubles  he  put  him  to ;  what  cruelty  he 
practised  against  him ;  and  it  were  too  long  now  to  describe 
the  same  unto  you.  But  the  man  of  God  stood  always  un- 
moveable;  and  in  the  confession  of  Christ's  faith  remained 
ever  unto  the  end  the  constant  and  unfoiled  soldier  of  Christ1. 
This  good  bishop,  Habet-Deum,  I  pray  to  God  our  heavenly 
Father  to  give  me  grace,  that  I  may  faithfully  follow,  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

Sir,  I  have  caused  my  man  not  only  to  read  your  armour  H.  LAT. 

unto  me,  but  also  to  write  it  out.     For  it  is  not  only  no 

bare  armour,  but  also  well  buckled  armour.     I  see  not  how 

it  could  be  better.     I  thank  you  even  from  the  bottom  of 

Q  Viet,  do  Pefs.  Afric,  lib.  in.  Ed.  Bas.  loSO.  p.  663.     ED.] 


148  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN    NICHOLAS    RIDLEY,    &C. 

my  heart  for  it;  and  my  prayer  shall  you  not  lack,  trusting 
that  you  do  the  like  for  me.  For  indeed  there  is  the 
help,  &c.  Many  things  make  confusion  in  memory.  And 
if  I  were  as  well  learned  as  was  St  Paul,  I  would  not 
bestow  much  against  them,  further  than  to  gall  them,  and 
spurgall  too,  when  and  where  as  occasion  were  given,  and 
matter  came  to  mind:  for  the  law  shall  be  their  sheet- 
anchor,  stay,  and  refuge.  Fare  you  well  in  Christ. 


A  CONCLUSION  TO  THE   READER. 


IN  this  conference  and  talk  between  these  two  great 
learned  men  and  holy  martyrs  of  Christ,  thou  perceivest,  good 
reader,  the  causes  wherefore  they,  with  the  loss  of  lands,  goods, 
friends,  and  all  the  world's  wealth,  chose  rather  most  terrible 
merciless  death,  than  by  the  denial  of  the  truth  to  live  with 
an  evil  conscience,  in  an  open  untruth,  for  a  time,  in  this  sinful 
slippery  world.  Thine  indifference  understandeth  that  they 
endured  that  long  imprisoning,  that  straight  keeping,  that 
ungentle  entreaty  and  cruel  handling,  not  upon  an  obstinate 
heart  nor  froward  disposition  (being  otherwise  men  most 
gentle  and  tractable),  much  less  upon  any  most  desperate 
temerity:  but  considering  the  urgent  weight  of  the  cause 
for  the  which  they  suffered,  necessarily  to  require  a  plain 
confession,  after  they  had  examined,  debated,  and  throughly 
tried  out  the  matter  to  the  utmost;  forasmuch  as  it  was 
given  unto  them  of  God,  not  only  that  they  should  believe 
in  Christ,  but  also  suffer  for  him;  and  seeing  they  were 
segregated  and  especially  chosen  to  defend  the  gospel,  they, 
contemning  the  tender  trembling  of  the  cowardly  flesh,  and 
setting  all  fleshly  policies  apart,  buckled  on  them  the  ar 
mour  of  God,  that  they  might  stand  manfully  against  the 
assaults  of  the  devil,  and  with  the  target  of  a  firm  faith 
extinguish  the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked;  and  so  have  joy 
ously  finished  their  course,  testifying  with  their  blood  God's 
eternal  truth  unto  the  world:  testifying  (I  say)  the  mighty 
power,  the  sufficiency  and  sincerity  of  God's  written  word, 
and  the  comfort  exhibited  by  the  same  to  all  faithful  in  the 
true  use  and  participation  of  Christ's  holy  Sacraments,  mi 
nistered  according  to  his  own  institution ;  testifying  what  the 


150  A    CONCLUSION     TO    THE    KKADKTC. 

true  Catholic  Church  of  Christ  is  indeed,  and  by  what  marks  it 
is  certainly  known  :  testifying  as  well  what  troubles  and  perils 
of  the  world  the  same  Church  is  subject  unto ;  as  also  what 
weight  of  eternal  glory  the  momentary  trifling  afflictions 
bring  to  such  as  continue  in  that  true  afflicted  Catholic 
Church,  beholding  not  joys  seen,  but  joys  that  are  not  seen : 
testifying  that  like  as  Christ,  (being  the  head  of  his  mys 
tical  body,  the  Catholic  Church,)  giveth  life  and  salvation 
unto  all  the  members  of  the  same ;  even  so,  whosoever  is 
out  of  that  Church  cannot  be  partaker  of  salvation  and 
life :  testifying  what  damnation  hangeth  over  them  that 
profane  or  corrupt  the  holy  ordinance  of  God  in  the  Sacra 
ments  and  ministry  of  the  Church,  as  the  papists  in  their 
mass  and  other  superstitious  counterfeit  God-service  do : 
testifying  what  causes  moved  these  two  blessed  martyrs 
with  many  more  besides  (and  ought  to  move  all  that  intend 
to  be  partakers  of  life  and  salvation  with  Christ  in  his  king 
dom)  to  abhor  and  abstain  from  the  popish  mass,  now  set 
up  by  Satan  and  Antichrist  in  England  again:  testifying 
how  far,  and  in  what  things,  every  subject  ought  and  may 
lawfully  obey  the  higher  powers,  and  wherein  disobey :  tes 
tifying,  finally,  how  dangerous  and  damnable  a  matter  it  is 
for  any  Christian  to  credit  and  do  after  the  shaven  swarm  of 
mass-priests  and  papists,  who,  like  most  notorious  thieves  and 
sacrilegers,  not  only  rob  the  true  Catholic  Church  of  Christ  of 
her  right  name,  and  arrogantly  and  falsely  clothe  themselves 
withal  (by  colour  and  pretence  whereof  they  rob  the  people 
of  their  goods,  to  make  themselves  rich,  and  like  ravening 
wolves  exercise  all  merciless  murder  and  tyranny  against  the 
saints  and  flock  of  Christ,  that  withstand  their  blasphemy, 
as  these  two  martyrs  most  learnedly  and  constantly  did),  but 
also  rob  God  the  Father  of  his  honour,  God  the  Son  of  his 
humanity,  merit,  and  priesthood,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost 
of  his  eternal  divine  doctrine. 


A    CONCLUSION'    TO    THE    RRADE1?.  151 

Thus  have  these  two  blessed  martyrs  testified  unto  the 
world  (for  God's  elect's  sake)  the  certainty  of  his  unfailing 
truth,  and  danger  of  his  blasphemous  enemies,  the  papists'* 
falsehood. 

Judge  now,  gentle  reader,  whether  it  is  better  for  thee 
to  abide  patiently  thy  most  merciful  loving  heavenly  Father's 
rod  under  Christ's  cross,  in  confessing  the  truth  with  these 
holy  martyrs,  to  thy  eternal  salvation ;  or  to  slide  back  into 
the  filthy  soil  of  papistry,  and  so  in  partaking  the  papists' 
pleasures  and  ease  of  the  tottering  world  for  a  very  short 
time,  to  be  partakers  also  of  their  just  deserved  plagues  in 
the  torments  of  hell,  among  those  hypocrites,  to  thy  greater 
damnation. 

The  Lord  God  give  thee  his  light,  to  embrace  and  obey 

the   persecuted   truth,   and   to  judge   rightly 

now  in  this  trying  time  of  the  cross,  that 

thou  be  not  damned  with  the  wicked 

world  for  being  ashamed  to  bear 

thy  cross  after  thy  crucified 

Christ.     Amen1. 

[}•  This  conclusion  to   the  reader  is  signed  in  the  second  edition, 
where  for  the  first  time  it  occurs,  J.  O.    ED.] 


A  CONFERENCE 


BETWEEN 


NICHOLAS    RIDLEY, 


SOMETIME     BISHOP     OF     LONDON, 


SECRETARY    BOURN, 

WITH  OTHERS, 


AT    THE 


LIEUTENANT'S    TABLE    IN    THE    TOWER. 


A  CONFERENCE,  &c. 


IT  was  declared  a  little  before,  how  Doctor  Ridley  was 
had  from  Fremingham  to  the  Tower ;  where,  being  in  du 
rance,  and  invited  to  the  Lieutenant's  table,  he  had  certain 
talk  or  conference  with  Secretary  Bourn,  Mr  Fecknam, 
and  other,  concerning  the  controversies  in  religion:  the 
sum  whereof,  as  it  was  penned  with  his  own  hand,  hereafter 
ensueth. — Fox. 


Master  Thomas  of  Bridges  said  at  his   brother    Master  sir  Thomas 

Abridges. 

Lieutenants  board,  "  I  pray  you,  Master  Doctors,  for  my 
learning,  tell  me  what  an  heretic  is?"  Mr  Secretary  Bourn 
said,  "  I  will  tell  you  who  is  an  heretic :  whoso  stubbornly  Who  is  an 

'  J  heretic. 

and  stiffly  maintained!  an  untruth,  he  is  an  heretic."     "  Ye 
mean,  Sir,"  said  I,   "an  untruth  in  matters  of  religion  and 
concerning  our  faith."     "  Yea,  that  is  true,"  said  he :  and  in 
this  we   were   soon   agreed.     Then   said    Master    Fecknam, 
sitting  at  the  upper  end  of  the  table,  whom  they  called  Mr 
Dean  of  Paul's,  "  I  will  tell  you  by  St  Augustine  who  is  an 
heretic  :   Qui  adulandi  principilus  vel  lucri  gratia  falsas  opi-  An  heretic 
niones  giqnit  vel  sequitur,  hwreticus  est,  saith  St  Augustine1."  saintAu- 
And  then  he  Englished  the  same.     "  Sir,"  said  I,  C1 1  ween  " 
St  Augustine  addeth  the  third  member,  which  is  vel  vance 
gloria?  causa"     "  Ye  say  even  true,   Mr  Doctor,"  said  he ; 
and  thus  far  we  did  aoree  all  three2. 

O 

Mr  Fecknam  began  again  to  say,  "  Whoso  doth  not  believe  Fecknam 
that   the   Scripture   affirmeth,   but   will   obstinatelv   maintain  Master  llSd- 

ley. 

P  He  who  for  the  sake  of  flattering  princes,  or  of  gain,  invents  or 
follows  false  opinions  is  an  heretic.  ED.] 

[2  Or  for  the  cause  of  vain  glory.  Vide  S.  Aug.  de  militate  cre- 
dendi,  cap.  1,  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn.  viii.  col.  45.  The  words  are : 
Haereticus  est,  ut  mea  fert  opinio,  qui  alicujus  temporalis  commodi,  et 
maxime  gloriae  principatusque  sui  gratia,  falsas  ac  novas  opiniones  vel 
fingit  vel  sequitur.  ED.] 


156 


CONFERENCES    BETWEEN 


versaity. 


Fecknam 
Truth  in 


affi™nati0n, 
^sufficient. 


the  contrary,  he  is  Jicereticus.  As  in  the  sacrament  of  the 
altar,  Matthew  doth  affirm  there  to  be  Christ's  body,  Mark 
cloth  affirm  it,  Luke  affirmeth  it,  Paul  affirmeth  it,  and  none 
denieth  it  :  therefore  to  hold  the  contrary  is  heresy.  It  is 
the  same  body  and  flesh  that  was  born  of  the  virgin:  and 
t^s  *s  con^rme(^  ty  unity,  antiquity,  and  universality.  For 
none  before  Berengarius  did  ever  doubt  of  this;  and  he 
was  an  heretic,  as  Mr  Doctor  there  knoweth  full  well  :  I  do 
testify1  his  own  conscience,"  said  he. 

"  Marry,  Sir,"  said  Master  Secretary,  "  Master  Fecknam 
hath  spoken  well.  These  be  great  matters  :  unity,  antiquity, 
and  universality.  Do  ye  not  think  so,  Master  Doctor  f  said 
he  to  me. 

Here  while  I  strained  courtesy,  and  pretended  as  nothing 
to  talk,  said  one  of  the  commissioners  :  "  Peradventure  Master 
Ridley  doth  agree  with  Mr  Fecknam,  and  then  there  needs 
not  much  debating  of  the  matter." 

"  Sir,"  said  I,  "in  some  things  I  do  and  shall  agree  with 
him  ;  and  in  some  things  which  he  hath  spoken,  to  be  plain, 
I  do  not  agree  with  him  at  all.  —  Masters,"  said  I,  "  ye  be  (as 
I  understand)  the  Queen's  commissioners  here,  and  if  ye 
have  commission  to  examine  me  in  these  matters,  I  shall 
declare  unto  you  plainly  my  faith;  if  ye  have  not,  then  I 
shall  pray  you  either  give  me  leave  to  speak  my  mind  freely, 
or  else  to  hold  my  peace." 

"  There  is  none  here,"  said  Mr  Secretary,  "  that  doth 
not  favour  you."  —  And  then  every  man  shewed  what  favour 
they  bare  towards  me,  and  how  glad  they  would  be  of  an 
agreement. 

But  as  I  strained  to  have  licence  of  them  in  plain  words 
to  speak  my  mind,  so  methought  they  granted  me  it,  but 
mx  or  cegre.  Well,  at  the  last  I  was  contented  to  take  it 
for  licensed,  and  so  began  to  talk. 

^°  ^  Fecknanfs  arguments  of  the  manifold  affirmation 
wnere  no  denial  was,  I  answered,  Where  is  a  multitude  of 
affirmations  in  Scripture,  and  where  is  one  affirmation,  all  is 
one  concerning  the  truth  of  the  matter  :  for  that  any  of  the 
Evangelists  spake  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  was  as  true 
as  that  which  was  spoken  of  them  all.  It  is  as  true  that 
[}  Testify,  i.e.  take  to  witness.  ED.] 


N.    RIDLEY    AND    SECRETARY    BOURN.  157 


John   saith    of   Christ,   Ego  sum  ostium   ovium,    I   am  the John  x- 
door  of  the  sheep,  as  if  all  had  said  it.     For  it  is  not  in 
Scripture  as  in  witness  of  men,  where  the  number  is  credited 
more  than  one,  because  it  is  uncertain  of  whose  spirit  he 
doth  speak.     And  where   Mr  Fecknam  spake  of  so   many, 
affirming  without  any  negation,  &c.,  "  Sir,"  said  I,  "  all  they 
do   affirm   the   thing  which   they   meant.     Now,   if  ye   take 
their  words,  and   leave  their  meaning,  then  do  they  affirm 
what  ye  take,  but  not  what  they  meant.     Sir,"  said  I,  "  i 
in  talk  with  you  I  should  so  utter  my  mind  in  words,  that 
ye  by  the  same  do  and  may  plainly  perceive  my  meaning,  [J^ir  mean- 
and  could,  if  ye  would  be  captious,  cavil  at  my  words,  and 
writhe   them   to   another   sense,   I  would  think  ye  were  no 
gentle  companion  to   talk  with ;    except   ye  would  take  my 
words  as  ye  did  perceive  that  I  did  mean." 

"  Marry,"  quoth   Mr  Secretary,  "  we  should  else  do  you 
plain  injury  and  wrong." 

Mr  Fecknam  perceiving  whereunto  my  talk  went,  "  Why," 
quoth  he,  "what  circumstances  can  ye  shew  me  that  should 
move  you  to  think  of  any  other  sense,  than  as  the  words 
plainly  say,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  quod  pro  voois  tradetur  ?  Luke  xxii. 
This  is  my  body  which  shall  be  betrayed  for  you."  pus  meum' 

,.,0.    „         .  ,     T  expounded. 

"hir,     said   I,  "even  the  next  sentence  that  followeth ; 
Hoc  facite  in  meam   commemorationem,  Do   this   in   my  re 
membrance.     And  also  by  what  reason  ye  say  the  bread  is 
turned  into  Christ's  carnal  body ;    by  the  same  I  may  say, 
that  it  is  turned  into  his  mystical  body.     For  as  that  saith  Reasons   v 
of  it,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum  quod  pro  voMs  tradetur ;   so  Paul  wonis'ought 
which  spake  by  Christ's  spirit   saith,    Unus  panis   et  unum  notilterany. 
corpus  multi  sumus  omnes,  qui  de  uno  pane  partidpamus.     We  i  Cor.  x. 
being   many   are   all   but   one   bread,   and   one   body,   in   as 
much  as  we  are  partakers  of  one  bread." 

"Here  he  calleth  one  bread,  one  loaf,"  said  Mr  Secre 
tary. 

'  Yea,"  said  I,  "  one  loaf,  one  bread,  all  is  one  with  me." 
"But  what   say  ye,"  quoth    Master   Secretary,   "of  the 

universality,  antiquity,  and  unity,  that  Master  Fecknam  did 

speak  ofT 

"I  ensure  you,"  said  I,  "I  think  them  matters  weighty,  Unity  with 

and  to  be  considered  well.     As  for  unity,  the  truth  is,  before    "       ** 


158  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN 

God,  I  do  believe  it  and  embrace  it,  so  it  be  with  verity, 
and  joined  to  our  head  Christ,  and  such  one  as  Paul  speaketh 
Eph.  iv.  of,  saying,  Una  fides,  unus  Deus,  unum  laptisma,  One  faith, 
Antiquity,  one  God,  one  baptism.  And  for  antiquity,  I  am  also  per 
suaded  to  be  true  that  Irenseus  saith,  Quod  primum  verum1, 
That  is  first  is  true.  In  our  religion  Christ's  faith  was  first 
truly  taught  by  Christ  himself,  by  his  Apostles,  and  by  many 
good  men  that  from  the  beginning  did  succeed  next  unto 
them :  and  for  this  controversy  of  the  sacrament,  I  am 
persuaded  that  those  old  writers,  which  wrote  before  the 
controversy  and  the  usurping  of  the  see  of  Rome,  do  all 
agree,  if  they  be  well  understood,  in  this  truth." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear,"  said  Master  Secretary,  "  that  ye 
do  so  well  esteem  the  doctors  of  the  church." 

Universality  "  Now  as  for  universality,  it  may  have  two  meanings  :  one, 
double  un-  to  understand  that  to  be  universal  which  from  the  beginning 
«»£•  in  all  ages  hath  been  allowed;  another,  to  understand  uni 

versality    for   the    multitude    of   our    age,    or    of  any   other 
singular  age." 

"No,  no,"  saith  Master  Secretary,  "these  three  do 
always  agree ;  and  where  there  is  one,  there  is  all  the  rest." 
And  here  he  and  I  changed  many  words.  And  finally,  to 
be  short,  in  this  matter  we  did  not  agree. 

"  There  was  none,"  quoth  Master  Fecknam,  "  before  Be- 
rengarius.  Wickliffe,  and  Hus,  and  now  in  our  days  Carolo- 
stadius  and  (Ecolampadius.  And  Carolostadius  saith,  Christ 
pointeth  to  his  own  body,  and  not  to  the  sacrament,  arid 
said,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum.  And  Melancthon  writeth  to  one 
nium!c°  Micronius,  (Miconius,  said  I,)  these  are  like  words:  Nullam 
satis  gravem  rationem  invenire  possum,  propter  quam  a  fide 
ma  jorum  in  liac  materia  dissentiam2.  I  can  find  no  grounded 
reason  to  cause  me  to  dissent  from  the  belief  of  our  fore- 
elders," 

Tiiecioctrine  Thus  when  he  had  spoken  at  length  with  many  other 
words  more,  "Sir,"  said  I,  "it  is  certain  that  other  before 
these  have  written  of  this  matter ;  not  by  the  way  only,  and 

[_l  See  notes  to  the  Conferences  with  Latimer.  The  words  referred 
to  are  those  of  Tertullian,  not  of  Irenseus.  ED.] 

[2  Mel.  Ep.  ad  My  con.  apud  (Ecolampadiuin,  de  Euchar.  Ed.  1530, 
p.  58.  ED.] 


N.     RIDLEY    AND    8ECKETAKY     BOURN. 


Her,  as  do  for  the  most  of  all  the  old  writers,  but  even 
ex  professo,  and  their  whole  books  entreat  of  it  alone,  as 
Bertram." 

"Bertram,"  said  the  Secretary,  "what  man  was  he?  and 
who  was  he3,  and  how  do  ye  know  T  &c.  with  many  ques 
tions. 

"  Sir,"  quoth  I,  "  I  have  read  his  book.  He  propoundeth 
the  same  which  is  now  in  controversy,  and  answereth  so 
directly  that  no  man  may  doubt  but  that  he  affirmeth,  that 
the  substance  of  bread  remaineth  still  in  the  sacrament; 
and  he  wrote  unto  Carolus  Magnus." 

"  Marry,"  quoth  he,  "  mark,  for  there  is  a  matter.  He 
wrote,"  quoth  he,  "  ad  Henricum*,  and  not  ad  Carolum,  for 
no  author  maketh  any  such  mention  of  Bertramus." 

"  Yes,"  quoth  I,  "  Trithemius  in  catalogo  iUustrium 
Scriptorum  speaketh  of  him.  Trithemius  was  but  of  late 
time:  but  he  speaketh,"  quoth  I,  "of  them  that  were  of 
antiquity."  Here  after  much  talk  of  Bertram ;  "  What  authors 
have  ye,"  quoth  Mr  Secretary,  "to  make  of  the  Sacrament 
a  figure  T 

[3  "Who  was  he?"  etc.  The  celebrated  work  of  Bertramus,  or 
Ratramnus,  de  Corpore  ft  Sanguine  Domini,  is  here  alluded  to.  An 
English  translation  by  William  Hugh  had  shortly  before  this  time, 
viz.  in  1548,  been  printed,  under  the  title  of  "A  book  of  Bertram 
the  Priest."  It  is  supposed  that  Ridley  met  with  it  in  the  year  154o 
or  1546.  Dr  Gloucester  Ridley  says:  "Few  books  have  drawn  after 
them  such  salutary  consequences  as  this  has  done.  This  first  opened 
Ridley's  eyes,  and  determined  him  more  accurately  to  search  the 
Scriptures  in  this  article,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  primitive  fathers, 
who  lived  before  the  time  of  this  controversy  betwixt  Bertram  and 
Paschasius."  ED.]] 

[4  "Ad  Henricum."  "That  is,"  says  Dr  Wordsworth,  "to  Henry 
the  Eighth:  meaning  to  insinuate  that  this  book  of  Bertram's, 
which  bore  too  strongly  against  the  Romish  corruptions  in  the  doc 
trine  of  the  Eucharist,  to  admit  easily  of  any  fair  and  direct  answer, 
was  a  modern  forgery  of  the  Protestants  of  late  time."  The  work 
of  John  of  Trithemius  was  finished  A.D.  1494,  and  first  published  at 
Basil.  Ridley  was  under  a  mistake  as  to  the  precise  date  of  the  work 
in  question;  it  was  addressed  not  to  Charlemagne,  but  to  Charles  the 
Bald :  it  was  besides  not  the  "  Catalogus  illustrium  virorum,"  but  the 
"Catalogue  Scriptorum  Ecclesiasticorum,"  to  which  he  refers;  that  work 
states  of  Bertram,  "ad  Carolum  regem,  fratrem  Lotharii  imperatoris, 
seripsit  commcndabile  opus."  ED.] 


160 


CONFERENCES    BETWEEN 


*ius,  ori- 


Sen?  and 


™inistra- 


"  Sir>"  <luoth  J>  "  ?G  know  C1  think)  that  Tertullian  in  plain 
but™  figure  wor<^s  speaketh  thus  :  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  id  est,  figura, 
MiHMfe&t  corP°r^s  mei>  This  is  my  body,  that  is  to  say,  a  figure  of 
mv  body.  And  Gelasius  saith  plainly,  that  substantia  panis 
manet  ;  the  substance  of  bread  remaineth.  And  Origen  saith 
likewise;  Quod  sanctificatur  secundum  materiam,  ingreditur 
stomacJmm  et  vadit  in  secessem;  That  which  is  sanctified, 
as  touching  the  matter  or  substance,  passeth  away  in  the 
draught1."  This  when  I  had  Englished,  Mr  Secretary  said 
to  me,  "  You  know  very  well  as  any  man,"  &c.  ;  and  here, 
if  I  would,  I  might  have  been  set  in  a  foolish  Paradise  of 
his  commendation  of  my  learning,  and  quod  essem  mr  multce 
lectionis,  a  man  of  much  reading.  But  this  I  would  not 
take  at  his  hand.  He  set  me  not  up  so  high,  but  I  brought 
myself  as  low  again  :  and  here  was  much  ado. 

"As  for  Melancthon,"  quoth  I,  "whom  Mr  Fecknam 
spake  of,  I  marvel  that  ye  will  allege  him;  for  we  are  more 
nigh  an  agreement  here  in  England,  than  the  opinion  of  Me- 
lancthon  to  you  :  for  in  this  point  we  all  agree  here,  that 
there  is  in  the  sacrament  but  one  material  substance;  and 
Melancthon,  as  I  ween,  saith  there  are  two." 

"  Ye  say  truth,"  quoth  Mr  Secretary  :  "  Melancthon's 
opinion  is  so.  But  I  pray  you,  ye  have  read  that  the 
sacrament  was  in  old  time  so  reverenced,  that  many  were 
then  forbidden  to  be  present  at  the  ministration  thereof, 
catecliumeni"  quoth  he,  "and  many  more." 

"  Truth,  Sir,"  quoth  I,  "  there  were  some  called  audientes, 
some  poenitentes,  some  catechumeni,  and  some  mergumeni, 
which  were  commanaed  to  depart." 

"  Now,"  quoth  he,  "and  how  can  ye  then  make  but  a 
figure  or  a  sign  of  the  sacrament,  as  that  book  which  is  set 
forth  in  my  Lord  of  Canterbury's  name2?  I  wis,  ye  can  tell 

\J-  Tertul.  cont.  Marcion.  lib.  iv.  cap.  40.  Gelasius  de  duab.  nat.  in 
Christo.  Bibl.  Pat.  Paris,  1575,  vol.  v.  p.  475.  Orig.  in  Matth.  Op.  Ed. 
Par.  1745,  Horn.  xi.  vol.  iii.  p.  499.  For  these  references  to  the  Fathers 
see  The  Brief  Declaration.  ED.] 

Q2  "Lord  of  Canterbury's  name."  Fox,  in  the  margin,  calls  this 
'  the  book  of  Catechism/  by  which  he  probably  meant  either  the  Cate 
chism  commonly  called  the  Catechism  of  King  Edward,  or  the  "  Short 
Instruction  unto  Christian  Religion:"  or  possibly  that  of  Justus 
Jonas,  translated  under  Cranmcr's  authority,  and  often  referred  to  as  his. 


X.    RIDLEY    AND    SECRETARY    BOURN. 


161 


who  made  it :  did  not  ye  make  it  ?"  And  here  was  much 
murmuring  of  the  rest,  as  though  they  would  have  given 
me  the  glory  of  the  writing  of  that  book;  which  yet  was 
said  of  some  there,  to  contain  most  heinous  heresy  that  ever 
was. 

"  Master  Secretary,"  quoth  I,  "  that  book  was  made  of  a 
great  learned  man,  and  him  which  is  able  to  do  the  like 
again:  as  for  me,  I  ensure  you  (be  not  deceived  in  me)  I 
was  never  able  to  do  or  write  any  such  like  thing.  He 
passeth  me  no  less,  than  the  learned  master  his  young 
scholar." 

Now,  here  every  man  would  have  his  saying,  which  I 
pass  over  as  not  much  material  for  to  tell.  "But,  Sir," 
quoth  I,  "methinks  it  is  not  charitably  done,  to  bear 
the  people  in  hand  that  any  man  doth  so  lightly  esteem  the 
sacrament,  as  to  make  of  it  but  a  figure.  For  that  maketh 
it  (but)  a  bare  figure  without  any  more  profit;  which  that 
book  cloth  often  deny,  as  appeareth  to  the  reader  most 
plainly." 

"Yes,"  quoth  he,  "that  they  do." 

"  Sir,  no,"  quoth  I,  "  of  a  truth :  and  as  for  me,  I  ensure 
you  I  make  no  less  of  the  sacrament  than  thus:  I  say, 
whosoever  receiveth  the  sacrament,  he  receiveth  therewith 
life  or  death." 

"No,"  quoth  Mr  Secretary,  "Scripture  saith  not  so." 

"Sir,"  quoth  I,  "although  not  in  the  same  sound  of 
words,  yet  it  doth  in  the  same  sense ;  and  St  Augustine  saith 
in  the  sound  of  words  also  :  for  Paul  saith,  The  bread  which  l  Cor>  Xt  l6* 
we  break,  is  it  not  the  partaking  or  fellowship  of  the  body 
of  Christ?  and  St  Augustine,  Manduca  mtmn,  Mbe  vitam, 
Eat  life,  drink  life3." 

Then  said  Master  Pope,  "  What  can  ye  make  of  it  when 
ye  say,  there  is  not  the  real  body  of  Christ?   which  I  do  jjgj 
believe,  and  I  pray  God  I  may  never  believe  other.     How 

It  is  known  by  the  title  "Catechism  of  1543."  But  it  is  more  likely 
that  Ridley  referred  to  the  Book  on  the  Sacrament,  which  Cranmer 
afterwards  defended  against  Gardiner,  and  that  Fox  was  wrong  in 
.mentioning  a  catecbism  at  all.  ED.] 

P  S.  Aug.  Senno  cxxxi.  de  verb.  Evan.  Job.  vi.  Op,  Ed.  Ben.  Par. 
1685,  torn.  v.  col.  641.  ED.]  .1 

[RIDLEY.] 


mis. 


162  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN 

can  it  bring  (as  ye  say)  either  life  or  death,  when  Christ's 
body  is  not  there  2" 

"Sir,"  quoth  I,  "when  you  hear  God's  word  truly 
preached,  if  ye  do  believe  it  and  abide  in  it,  ye  shall  and 
do  receive  life  withal :  and  if  ye  do  not  believe  it,  it  doth 
bring  unto  you  death:  and  yet  Christ's  body  is  still  in 
heaven,  and  not  carnal  in  every  preacher's  mouth." 

"  I  pray  you  tell  me,"  quoth  he,  "  how  can  you  answer 
to  this,  Quod  pro  wMs  tradetur,  Which  shall  be  given  for 
you?  Was  the  figure  of  Christ's  body  given  for  us?" 

"  No,  Sir,"  quoth  I,  "  but  the  very  body  itself,  whereof 
the  sacrament  is  a  sacramental  figure." 

"  How  say  ye  then,"  quoth  he,  "  to  quod  pro  vobis  tra- 
detur,  Which  shall  be  given  for  you?" 

Tertuiiia-  "  Forsooth,"  quoth  I,  "  Tertullian's  exposition  maketh  it 

plain,  for  he  saith,  Corpus  est  figura  corporis,  The  body  is 
a  figure  of  the  body.  Now  put  to  quod  pro  wbis  tradetur^ 
Which  shall  be  given  for  you;  and  it  agreeth  exceedingly 
well." 

" In  faith,"  quoth  he,  "I  would  give  forty  pounds  that  ye 
were  of  a  good  opinion.  For  I  ensure  you,  I  have  heard  you, 
and  had  an  affection  to  you." 

"I  thank  you,  Master  Pope,  for  your  heart  and  mind: 
and  ye  know,"  quoth  I,  "I  were  a  very  fool  if  I  would  in 
this  matter  dissent  from  you,  if  that  in  my  conscience  the 
truth  did  not  enforce  me  so  to  do.  For  I  wis  (as  ye  do 
perceive,  I  trow)  it  is  somewhat  out  of  my  way,  if  I  would 
esteem  worldly  gain." 

Cyprian,  «  What  say  ye,"  quoth  he,  "  to  Cyprian  2     Doth  he  not 

say  plainly,  Panis  quern  dedit  Dominus,  non  effigie,  sed  matura, 
mutatus,  omnipotentia  verbi  factus  est  caro1 :  The  bread  which 
the  Lord  did  deliver,  being  changed  not  according  to  the 
form,  but  according  to  the  nature  thereof,  by  the  omnipotent 
word  is  made  flesh." 
pr  Ridley  «  True,  Sir,  so  he  doth  say,  and  I  answer  even  the  same 

falsely  re-  '          '  J ' 

fo°rraesde?mon  wl"cn  once  by  chance  I  preached  at  Paul's  Cross  in  a  sermon, 
Pa!!rsat      *"or  tne  whick  •"•  have  keen  as  unjustly  and  as  untruly  reported, 

['  Cyp.  de  Ccena  Domini.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1726,  col.  111.  This 
treatise  is  placed  by  the  Benedictine  Editor  at  the  end  of  the  volume 
among  those  falsely  attributed  to  Cyprian.  ED.] 


X.    RIDLEY    AND    SECRETARY    BOURN.  163 

as  any  poor  man  hath  been.  For  there  I,  speaking  of  the 
sacrament,  and  inveighing  against  them  that  esteemed  it  no  ' 
better  than  a  piece  of  bread,  told  even  the  same  thing  of 
pcenitentes,  audientes,  catecJiumeni,  energumeni,  that  I  spake 
of  before ;  and  I  bade  them  depart  as  unworthy  to  hear  the 
mystery;  and  then  I  said  to  those  that  be  sancti,  Cyprian 
the  Martyr  shall  tell  you  how  it  is  that  Christ  calleth  it, 
saying,  Panis  cst  corpus,  cibus,  potus,  caro2,  &c.,  Bread  is 
body,  meat,  drink,  flesh,  because  that  unto  this  material  expounded 
substance  is  given  the  property  of  the  thing  whereof  it  beareth 
the  name:  and  this  place  then  took  I  to  titter  as  the  time 
would  then  suffer,  that  the  material  substance  of  bread  doth 
remain."  Mr  Fecknam  (which,  as  is  reported  to  me,  did  belie 
me  openly  in  the  same  matter  at  Paul's  Cross,)  heard  all  this 
my  talk,  as  red  as  scarlet  in  his  face,  and  herein  answered 
me  never  one  word. 

"  You  do  know  well,"  quoth  Mr  Secretary,  "  that  Origen 
and  Tertullian  were  not  catholic,  but  erred." 

"Sir,"  quoth  I,  "there  is  none  of  all  the  doctors  that 
are  holden  in  all  points,  but  are  thought  to  have  erred  in 
some  things.  But  yet  I  never  heard  that  it  was  either 
laid  to  Origen's  charge,  or  to  Tertullian,  that  ever  they  were 
thought  to  have  erred  in  this  matter  of  the  sacrament." 

"  What,"  quoth  Mr  Chomley,  late  chief  justice,   "  doth 
not  Christ  say  plainly,  that  it  is  his  very  flesh  and  his  very 
blood,  and  we  must  needs  eat  him,  or  we  can  have  no  life  ?"  jj 
"  Sir,"  quoth  I,  "  if  you  will  hear  how  St  Augustine  expound-  °>vn  confes 
eth  that  place,  you  shall  perceive  that  you  are  in  a  wrong  box." 
And  when  I  began  to  tell  St  Augustine^s  mind  in  his  book 
De  Doctrina  Christiana3,  "  Yea,  yea,"  quoth  Mr  Secretary, 
t;  that  is  true.    St  Augustine  doth  take  it  figuratively  in  deed." 

"  Forty  years  ago,"  quoth  Mr  Fecknam,  "  all  were  of 
one  opinion  in  this  matter." 

"Forty  years  ago,"  quoth  I,  "all  held  that  the  Bishop 
of  Rome  was  supreme  head  of  the  universal  church." 

C2  Gyp.  Ib.  The  words  are,  Ipse  cnim  et  panis,  et  caro,  et  sanguis ; 
idem  cibus  et  substantia  et  vita  factus  est  Ecclesiae  suss,  quam  corpus 
suum  appellat,  dans  ei  participationem  spiritus.  ED.] 

[3  Lib.  in.  Sect.  24.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn.  iii.  col.  52.  See 
notes  to  The  Brief  Declaration,  ED.] 

11—2 


iU*  CONFERENCES    BETWEEN 

"What  then?"  was  Master  Fecknam  beginning  to  say, 
&c.  but  Mr  Secretary  took  the  tale,  and  said,  that  was  but 
a  positive  law. 

Quawis.  "A  positive   law  ?"    quoth    I,    "no,    Sir,    he   would   not 

have  it  so :  for  it  is  in  his  decrees,  that  he  challenged  it  by 
Christ's  own  word.  For  his  decree  saith :  Nullis  Synodicis 
constitutis,  neque  conciliis,  sed  vivd  wee  Domini  prcelata  est 
Ecclesia  Romano,  omnibus  ecclesiis  in  toto  mundo:  dicente 
Domino  Petro,  Tu  es  Petrus\  &c.  The  church  of  Borne 
was  advanced  above  all  other  churches  in  the  world,  not  by 
any  synodical  constitutions,  nor  yet  any  councils,  but  by  the 
lively  voice  of  the  Lord,  according  as  the  Lord  said  to 

Matt.xvi.  peter^  Thou  art  Peter,  &c.  And  in  another  place  he  en- 
treateth,  Tu  es  Cephas,  id  est  caput,  Thou  art  Cephas,  that 
is  to  say  the  head.1" 

"  Tush,  it  was  not  counted  an  article,"  quoth  Mr  Secre 
tary,  "  of  our  faith." 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "if  ye  call  that  an  article  of  our  faith, 
which  is  to  be  believed  under  pain  of  damnation.  For  he 
saith :  Omnino  definimus,  declaramus,  pronunciamus,  omnem 
Jmmanam  creaturam  sulesse  Romano  pontifici  de  necessitate 
salutis2 :  We  do  absolutely  determine,  declare,  and  pronounce, 
that  every  creature  is  subject  to  the  obedience  of  the  Bishop 
of  Rome  upon  necessity  of  salvation." 

And  here  when  we  spake  of  laws  and  decrees,  Mr  Roger 
Chomley  thought  himself  much  wronged,  that  he  could  not 
be  suffered  to  speak,  the  rest  were  so  ready  to  interrupt 
him:  and  then  he  up  and  told  a  long  tale  what  laws  were 
of  Kings  of  England  made  against  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and 
was  vehement  to  tell  how  they  alway  of  the  clergy  did  fly 
to  him.  And  here,  because  he  seemed  to  speak  of  many 

P  The  words  of  the  decree  are  "  Sancta  tamen  Romana  Catholica 
et  Apostolica  Ecclesia  nullis  Synodicis  constitutis  caeteris  ecclesiis  prse- 
lata  est,  sed  evangelica  voce  Domini  et  Salvatoris  nostri  primatum 
obtinuit,  '  Tu  es  Petrus'  inquiens,  &c."  Dist.  21.  cap.  3.  Decreta 
Gratiani,  Paris,  158o,  cols.  115,  116.  ED.] 

[_2  Extra vag.  Comm.  lib.  i.  tit.  de  majoritate  et  obedientia — the 
words  are,  "  Porro  subesse  Romano  pontifici  omnem  humanam  crea 
turam  declaramus,  dicimus,  definimus,  et  prommciamus,  omnino  esse  de 
necessitate  salutis."  Ed.  Lugd.  1509,  fol.  8.  See  also  the  conclusion  of 
the  Bull  of  Boniface  VIII.  "  Unam  Sanctam."  ED.] 


X.    RIDLEY    AND    SECRETARY    EOCRX.  365 

things  beside  our  purpose,  whereof  we  spake  before,  he  was 
answered  of  his  own  fellows,  and  I  let  them  talk. 

Finally,  we  departed  in  peace,  and  Master  Secretary 
promised  in  the  end,  that  of  their  talk  there  should  come 
to  me  no  harm.  And  after  I  had  made  my  moan  for  lack 
of  my  books,  he  said  they  were  all  once  given  him :  but  Pr  Ridley's 

books  given 

sith  I  know  (said  he)  who  hath  them  now,  write  me  the 
names  of  such  as  ye  would  have,  and  I  will  speak  for  you 
the  best  I  can. 


JUDICIA   DUO. 


I.     A    DETERMINATION 


CONCERNING 


THE     SACRAMENT, 


MADE 


AT  CAMBRIDGE 


AFTER 


THREE  DISPUTATIONS  HELD  THERE,  JUNE  20,  1549. 


II.    JUDICIUM   NICHOLAI   RIDL.EI,   EPISCOPI 

LONDINENSIS,   DE   EPISTOLIS  DECRE- 

TALIBUS,  SCILICET   CLEMENTIS 

ANACLETI,  LUCII,  PONTIANI 

ET  ALIORUM  VESTUSTIS- 

SIMORUM    PONTI- 

FICUM. 


THE  disputations  held  at  Cambridge  before  the  King's 
commissioners,  June,  1549,  and  which  are  preserved  by  Fox 
in  his  Acts  and  Monuments,  were  remarkable,  as  well  for 
the  importance  of  the  subject  discussed,  as  for  the  learning 
and  character  of  those  who  took  part  in  them.  The  com 
missioners  were  the  Bishops  of  Eochester  and  Ely,  Mr 
(afterwards  Sir  John)  Cheke,  formerly  Tutor  to  the  King, 
Dr  May,  and  Thomas  Wendy,  Physician  to  the  King.  In 
the  first  disputation,  Dr  Madew  was  opposed  by  Dr  Glin, 
Sedgwick,  Langdale,  and  Young.  The  second  disputation 
was  carried  on  between  Dr  Glin  on  the  Romish  side,  and 
Grindall,  Perne,  Gest,  and  Pilkington  on  the  other.  In  the 
third  Perne  contended  against  Parker,  Pollard,  Vavisor  or 
Vavasour,  and  Young. 

After  three  days'*  disputations,  Dr  Eidley  who  had  occa 
sionally  assisted  the  disputants  against  transubstantiation 
delivered  the  determination  or  judgment  subjoined. 


THE  DETERMINATION 


DOCTOR    NICHOLAS     RIDLEY, 


BISHOP   OF   ROCHESTER, 


UPON   THE   DISPUTATIONS,    &c. 


THERE  hath  been  an  ancient  custom  amongst  you,  that 
after  disputations  had  in  your  common  schools,  there  should 
be  some  determination  made  of  the  matters  so  disputed  and  j 
debated,  especially  touching  Christian  religion.  Because  there 
fore  it  hath  seemed  good  unto  these  worshipful  assistants  joined 
with  me  in  commission  from  the  King's  majesty,  that  I  should 
perform  the  same  at  this  time;  I  will  by  your  favourable 
patience  declare,  both  what  I  do  think  and  believe  myself, 
and  what  also  others  ought  to  think  of  the  same.  Which 
thing  I  would  that  afterward  ye  did  with  diligence  weigh  and 
ponder,  every  man  at  home  severally  by  himself. 

The   principal  grounds,  or  rather  head   springs    of  this, 
matter  are  specially  five. 

The   first   is  the  authority,  majesty,  and  verity  of  Wj 

Scripture.  to  take  away 

r  tran sub- 

The  second  is  the  most  certain  testimonies  of  the  ancient  stantiation. 
catholic    Fathers,   who,   after   my  judgment,   do    sufficiently 
declare  this  matter. 

The  third  is  the  definition  of  a  Sacrament. 

The  fourth  is  the  abominable  heresy  of  Eutyches,  that 
may  ensue  of  transubstantiation. 

The  fifth  is  the  most  sure  belief  of  the  article  of  our 
faith,  He  ascended  into  heaven. 

The  First  Ground. 

This  transubstantiation  is  clean  against  the  words  of  the 
scripture,  and  consent  of  the  ancient  catholic  fathers.      The 


A    DETERMINATION 

scripture  saith :  "I  will  not  drink  hereafter  of  this  fruit  of 
the  vine,  &c."  Now  the  fruit  of  this  vine  is  wine.  And  it 
is  manifest  that  Christ  spake  these  words  after  the  supper 
was  finished,  as  it  appeareth  both  in  Matthew,  Mark,  and 
also  in  Luke,  if  they  be  well  understood.  There  be  not  many 
places  of  scripture  that  do  confirm  this  thing,  neither  is  it 
greatly  material ;  for  it  is  enough  if  there  be  any  one  plain 
testimony  for  the  same.  Neither  ought  it  to  be  measured 

ber  bu^by9"  by  the  number  of  scriptures,  but  by  the  authority,  and  by  the 

authority.  verjty  of  the  same.  And  the  majesty  of  this  verity  is  as  am 
ple  in  one  short  sentence  of  the  scripture,  as  in  a  thousand. 

Moreover,  Christ  took  bread,  he  brake  bread,  he  gave 
bread.  In  the  Acts  Luke  calleth  it  bread.  So  Paul  calleth 
it  bread  after  the  sanctification.  Both  of  them  speak  of 
breaking,  which  belongeth  to  the  substance  of  bread,  and  in 

Exod.  xii.  no  wjse  to  Christ's  body,  for  the  scripture  saith :  "  Ye  shall 
not  break  a  bone  of  him."  Christ  saith :  "  Do  ye  this  in  my 

i  Cor.xi.  remembrance."  Saint  Paul  also  saith  :  "  Do  ye  this  in  my  re 
membrance."  And  again :  "As  often  as  ye  shall  drink  of  this 
cup,  do  it  in  remembrance  of  me."  And  our  Saviour  Christ, 

Jo:m  vi.  'in  the  6th  of  John,  speaking  against  the  Capernaites,  saith : 
"  Labour  for  the  meat  that  perisheth  not."  And  when  they 
asked,  "What  shall  we  do  that  we  may  work  the  works  of 

Ibid-  God r  he  answered  them  thus:  "This  is  the  work  of  God, 
that  ye  believe  in  him  whom  he  hath  sent."  You  see  how  he 
exhorteth  them  to  faith,  for  faith  is  that  work  of  God.  Again, 
"  This  is  the  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven."  But 

ibid.  Christ's  body  came  not  down  from  heaven.  Moreover  :  "He 
that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me, 
and  I  in  him.  My  flesh  (saith  he)  is  meat  indeed,  and  my 
blood  is  drink  indeed."  When  they  heard  this,  they  were 
offended.  And  whilst  they  were  offended,  he  said  unto  them : 

ibid.  u  What  if  ye  shall  see  the  son  of  man  ascend  up  where  he 
was  before?"  Whereby  he  went  about  to  draw  them  from 
the  gross  and  carnal  eating.  This  body,  saith  he,  shall  ascend 
up  into  heaven,  meaning  altogether,  as  St  Augustine  saith: 
"It  is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing. 
The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  are  spirit  and  life,  and 
must  be  spiritually  understood."  These  be  the  reasons  which 
persuade  me  to  incline  to  this  sentence  and  judgment. 


CONCERNING    THE    SACRAMENT. 


173 


The  Second  Ground. 
Now  my  second   ground  against  this   transubstantiation  The  second 

*  ground 

are  the  ancient  fathers  a  thousand  years  past.     And  so  fi*F 
off  is  it  that  they  do  confirm  this  opinion  of  transubstantiation, 
that  plainly  they  seem  unto  me  both  to  think  and  to  teach  Fathers, 
the  contrary. 

Dionysius1  in  many  places  calleth  it  bread.     The  places  are  5io">'s- in 

"'  J  r  .  L  Eccle.  Hie- 

SO  manifest  and  plain,  that  it  needeth  not  to  recite  them.     rar. 

Ignatius  to  the  Philadelphians  saith :    "  I   beseech   you,  Ignatius 
brethren,   cleave   fast   unto    one   faith,  and   to   one   kind   ofdeiph. 
preaching,  using  together  one  manner  of  thanksgiving :    for 
the  flesh  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  one,  and  his  blood  is   one 
which  was  shed  for  us.     There  is  also  one  bread  broken  for 
us,  and  one  cup  of  the  whole  church2." 

Irenaeus  writeth  thus :   "  Even  as  the  bread  that  cometh  Irenes,  m>. 

.    .          ^  .  iv.  caP- 3*» 

of  the  earth  receiving  Gods  vocation  is  now  no  more  com 
mon  bread,  but  sacramental  bread,  consisting  of  two  natures, 
earthly  and  heavenly;  even  so  our  bodies,  receiving  the 
Eucharist,  are  now  no  more  corruptible,  having  hope  of  the 
resurrection3." 

Tertullian  is  very  plain,  for  he  calleth  it  a  figure  of  the  Tertuiiia- 

i       i          r  nus* 

body,  &c.4 

Q1  Dionysius,  Pseudo-Areopagita,  wrote  about  A.D.  365,  Cave.  ED.]] 
'  TlapaKa\<av  V/JLCI<S  [J.ia  TI<TT€I  KCU  CtH  Krjpvyfj.ct.Ti  KOI  /nia 
ev^apL<rTia  voj/(r0cn.  /j.ia  700  ecrTiv  r\  <rctp^  TOV  Kvpiov  'I^crou, 
KCI\  ev  avTov  TO  cu(ua  TO  virep  tj/J.(av  eK^yQev  eh  KCII  apTos  TO?? 
Trctcriv  e6pv(f)6ri,  KO\  ev  TTOTrjpiov  TO??  o\OK  Steve i*t]0r],  ev  6v(ria(TTt]'- 
piov  Trao-;/  T^  €KK\rj(ria.  S.  Ignat.  Ep.  ad  Philad.  Op.  Ed.  Lond.  Voss. 
1G80,  p.  176.  ED.] 

[j1  'fl?   yap   ctTro  7^7?  upTOS,   TrpoG-Xa/jLfiavofjievos  Trjv  €KK\rj<riv  TOV 
6eov,   ovxeri   KOIMOC   apTO?  €<TT\V,   aA/V  ev-^aptcrTia  CK   cvo 
crvve<?Tr}Kviat  €7rr/6/ou   TC    KO.\   ovpaviov,   OUTCO?   KO.\  TCI   <T(>j/jiaTa 
f).eTU\a^pa.vovTa.  T^;<?  ev^apicrTia^,  /J-^KCTI  eimv  (j)dapTa,  TYJV  eXtrlcxx. 
Trjs  ek   alwvas    ai/acrTa'o-eto<?    e^ovTa.      S.   Iren.   cont.   Heres.   lib.   iv. 
cap.  18.  (ant.  ord.  34.)  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1710,  p.  251.    ED.] 

[4  Sic  enim  Deus  in  Evangelio  quoque  vestro  revelavit,  panem  corpus 
suum  appellans:  ut  et  hinc  jam  eum  intelligas  corporis  sui  figurara 
pani  dedisse.  Tert.  adv.  Marcion.  lib.  in.  Op.  Ed.  Rigalt.  Paris,  1641, 
p.  493-4.  ED.] 


174  A    DETERMINATION 

Chrysostom  writing  to  Csesarius  the  monk,  albeit  he  be 
not  received  of  divers,  yet  will  I  read  the  place  to  fasten  it 
more  deeply  in  your  minds:  for  it  seemeth  to  shew  plainly 
the  substance  of  bread  to  remain.  The  words  are  these  : 

"Before  the  bread  is  sanctified,  we  name  it  bread:  but 
by  the  grace  of  God  sanctifying  the  same  through  the  minis 
try  of  the  priest,  it  is  delivered  from  the  name  of  bread, 
and  is  counted  worthy  to  bear  the  name  of  the  Lord's  body, 
although  the  very  substance  of  bread  notwithstanding  do 
still  remain  therein,  and  now  is  taken  not  to  be  two  bodies, 
one  body  of  the  Son,  &C.1" 

?eprisatn6llb<  Cyprian  saith  :  "  Bread  is  made  of  many  grains.  And  is 
that  natural  bread,  and  made  of  wheat?  Yea,  it  is  so  in 
deed2." 

Theodore-  The  j^  of  Theodoret,  in  Greek,  was  lately  printed  at 
Eome,  which  if  it  had  not  been  his,  it  should  not  have  been 
set  forth  there,  especially  seeing  it  is  directly  against  tran- 
substantiation  :  for  he  saith  plainly,  that  bread  still  remaineth 
after  the  sanctification3. 

Epist!dem         Gelasius  also  is  very  plain  in   this  manner.     "  The   sa- 

turishl11*"  crament  (saith  he)  which  we  receive  of  the  body  and  blood 

Chnsto.       Qf  Chris^  js   a   divine    matter:    by  reason  whereof  we  are 

made  partakers  by  the  same  of  the  divine  nature,  and  yet 

it  ceaseth  not  still  to  be  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine. 

And  certes,  the  representation  and   similitude   of  the   body 

and   blood    of   Christ    be    celebrated   in    the    action    of  the 

After  this  he  mysteries,  &c  .  4" 

recited  cer-       * 

Hesychius  also  confesseth  that  it  is  bread5, 


gustine  and 
Cyril,  which 

noted**  ^  3  4  See  Treatise  on  Transubstantiation.    ED.] 

Hesyc'h.  £2  Quo  et  ipso  sacramento  populus  noster  ostenditur  adunatus,  ut 

in°Levit?iH).  quemadmodum  grana  multa  in  unum  collecta  et  commolita  et  commixta 
ii.  cap.  8.      panem  unum  faciunt,  sic  in  Christo  qui  est  panis  ccelestis  unum  sciamus 
esse  corpus,  cui  conjunctus  sit  noster  numerus  et  adunatus.    S.  Cyp. 
Epist.  ad  Csecil.  Ordo  novus  LXIII.     Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1726,  p.  108. 
ED.] 

[5  Quomodo  ergo  in  his  non  admiranda  sit  sapientia  Spiritus  I  nullam 
quippe  dubietatem  hujusmodi  intellectui  dereliquit;  propterea  carnes 
cum  panibus  comedi  praecipiens,  ut  nos  intelligeremus,  illud  ab  eo 
mysterium  dici  quod  simul  panis  et  caro  est,  sicut  corpus  Christi,  panis 
vivi  qui  de  ccelo  descendit.  Hesychius,  Comment,  in  Levit.  lib.  u.  cap.  8. 
Op.  Ed.  Basil.  1527,  p.  49.  c.  ED.] 


CONCERNING    THE    SACRAMENT.  175 

Also  the  judgment   of  Bertram  in  this  matter  is  very  Bertram. 
plain  and  manifest.     And  thus  much  for  the  second  ground. 

The  Third  Ground. 

The  third  ground  is  the  nature  of  the  sacrament,  which  J 
consisteth  in  three  things,   that   is,    Unity,    Nutrition,   and  ' 
Conversion. 

As  touching  unity,  Cyprian  thus  writeth:    "Even  as 
many  grains  is  made   one  bread,   so   are   we   one  mystical  Cypj°an. 
body  of  Christ."     Wherefore  bread  must  needs  still  remain, 
or  else  we  destroy  the  nature  of  a  sacrament. 

Also  they  that  take  away  nutrition,  which  cometh  by 
bread,  do  take  away  likewise  the  nature  of  the  sacrament. 
For  as  the  body  of  Christ  nourisheth  the  soul,  even  so  doth 
bread  likewise  nourish  the  body  of  man. 

Therefore  they  that  take  away  the  grains  or  the  union 
of  the  grains  in  the  bread,  and  deny  the  nutrition  or  sub 
stance  thereof,  in  my  judgment  are  Sacramentaries  :  for  they 
take  away  the  similitude  between  the  bread  and  the  body 
of  Christ.  For  they  which  affirm  transubstantiation  are 
indeed  right  Sacramentaries  and  Capernaites. 

As   touching  conversion  (that  like  as  the  bread  which  Conversion. 
we  receive,  is  turned  into  our  substance,  so  are  we  turned 
into  Christ's  body),  Rabanus0  and  Chrysostom7  are  witnesses 

JJ  J 


„   .  Chrysos- 

sumcient.  tom. 

The  Fourth  Ground. 

They  which  say  that  Christ  is   carnally  present   in   the  The  Fourth 
Eucharist,   do   take    from   him  the  verity  of   man's  nature.  The  real 

presence  in 

[6  Rabanus  Maurus  dc  Sermonis  Proprietate.    The  work  itself  is  lost,  men?Sand- 
and  is  not  noticed  by  Cave  ;  but  Gesner  in  his  "  Bibliotheca"  mentions  ^  JfJth  o? 
two  persons  who  had  it  in  their  possession  in  MS.     Flacius  Illyricus  Christ's 
must  have  had  access  to  it,  for  he  quotes  the  very  passage  to  which 
Ridley  most  probably  refers  ;  the  w  ords  of  Rabanus  are,  "  Sacramentum 
in  alimentum  corporis  redigitur  :  sicut  ergo  illud  [sacramentum]  in  nos 
convertitur  cum  id  manducamus  et  bibimus,  sic  et  nos  in  corpus  Christi 
convertimur  cum  obedienter  et  pie  vivimus."    Flacius  Illyricus  refers 
this  to  the  fifth  book  and  second  chapter  of  the  above-mentioned  work. 
Rabanus  Maurus  was  Abbot  of  Fulda,  and  died  A.D.  856. 

[7  See  notes  to  Disputations,  infra,    ED.] 


176 


A    DETERMINATION 


Eutyches  granted  the  divine  nature  in  Christ,  but  his  human 
nature  he  denied.  So  they  that  defend  transubstantiation 
ascribe  that  to  the  human  nature,  which  only  belongeth  to 
the  divine  nature. 

The  Fifth  Ground. 

T^6  fifth  ground  is  the  certain  persuasion  of  this  article 
of  faith,  "  He  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sitteth  on  the  right 
hand,  &c." 
peTiUoSan.su"        Augustine  saith  :  "  The  Lord  is  above,  even  to  the  end  of 

Tract.  30. 


XXVlll. 


his  body  wherein  he  rose  again,  must  needs  be  in  one  place, 
but  his  verity  is  spread  abroad  every  where1." 

Also,  in  another  place  he  saith:  "Let  the  godly  receive 
also  that  sacrament,  but  let  them  not  be  careful  (speaking 
there  of  the  presence  of  his  body2.)  For  as  touching  his 
majesty,  his  providence,  his  invisible  and  unspeakable  grace, 
these  words  are  fulfilled  which  he  spake,  '  I  am  with  you  unto 
the  end  of  the  world.'  But  according  to  the  flesh  which  he 
took  upon  him,  according  to  that  which  was  born  of  the 
Virgin,  was  apprehended  of  the  Jews,  was  fastened  to  a  tree, 
taken  down  again  from  the  cross,  lapped  in  linen  clothes, 
was  buried  and  rose  again,  and  appeared  after  his  resurrection, 
so  you  shall  not  have  me  always  with  you.  And  why  ?  because 
that  as  concerning  his  flesh  he  was  conversant  with  his  dis 
ciples  forty  days,  and  they  accompanying  him,  seeing  him, 
but  not  following  him,  he  went  up  into  heaven,  and  is  not 
here,  for  he  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Father,  and  yet 
he  is  here,  because  he  is  not  departed  hence,  as  concerning 
the  presence  of  his  divine  majesty3." 

Mark  and  consider  well  what  St  Augustine  saith  :  "  He  is 
ascended  into  heaven,  and  is  not  here,"  saith  he.  Believe 

f]1  Sursum  est  Dominus  :  seel  etiam  hie  «st  veritas  Domini.  Corpus 
enim  Domini  in  quo  resurrexit,  uno  loco  esse  potest:  veritas  ejus  ubique 
diffusa  est.  S.  Aug.  in  Johan.  Evan.  Tract  xxx.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685, 
torn.  iii.  col.  517.  ED.] 

[]2  Accipiunt  hoc  et  boni,  sed  non  sint  soliciti  :  loquebatur  enim  de 
praesentia  corporis  sui.  S.  Aug.  in  Johan.  Evan.  Tract.  L.  Op.  Ed.  Ben. 
Par.  1685,  torn.  iii.  col.  633-4.  ED.] 

p  See  Treatise  on  Transubstantiation.    ED.] 


CONCERNING    THE    SACRAMENT. 


177 


not  them  therefore  which  say,  that  he  is  here  still  in  the 
earth. 

Moreover,  "Doubt  not  (saith  the  same  Augustine)  but 
that  Jesus  Christ,  as  concerning  the  nature  of  his  manhood, 
is  there  from  whence  he  shall  come.  And  remember  well  and 
believe  the  profession  of  a  Christian  man,  that  he  rose  from 
death,  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sitteth  at  the  right  hand 
of  his  Father,  and  from  that  place  and  none  other  (not  from 
the  altars)  shall  he  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead, 
and  he  shall  come,  as  the  angel  said,  as  he  was  seen  to  go 
into  heaven ;  that  is  to  say,  in  the  same  form  and  substance, 
unto  the  which  he  gave  immortality,  but  changed  not  nature. 
After  this  form  (meaning  his  human  nature)  we  may  not 
think  that  it  is  every  where4." 

And  in  the  same  epistle  he  saith :  "  Take  away  from  the  fb"|ust 
bodies  limitation  of  places,  and  they  shall  be  no  where :  and 
because  they  are  no  where,  they  shall  not  be  at  all5." 

Vigilius  saith:  "If  the  word  and  the  flesh  be  both  of 
one  nature,  seeing  that  the  word  is  every  where,  why  then 
is  not  the  flesh  also  every  where  \  For  when  it  was  in  earth, 
then  verily  it  was  not  in  heaven :  and  now  when  it  is  in 
heaven,  it  is  not  surely  in  earth.  And  it  is  so  certain,  that 
it  is  not  in  earth,  that  as  concerning  the  same  we  look  for 
him  from  heaven,  whom,  as  concerning  the  word,  we  believe 
to  be  with  us  in  earth0/1 

£4  Noli  itaquc  dtibitare  ibi  nunc  essc  liominem  Christum  Jesum,  undc 
venturus  est,  memoriterquc  recole  ct  fideliter  tene  Christianam  con- 
fessionem,  quoniam  resurrexit  a  mortuis,  adscendit  in  ccelum,  sedet  ad 
dexteram  Pntris,  nee  aliimde  quam  inde  venturus  est  ad  vivos  mortuos- 
que  judicandos.  Et  sic  venturus  est,  ilia  angelica  voce  testante,  quem- 
admodum  ire  visus  est  in  coelum,  id  est,  in  eadem  carnis  forma  atque 
substantia;  cui  profecto  immortalitatem  dedit,  naturam  non  abstulit. 
S.  Aug.  Ep.  ad  Dard.  (Ordo  novus  CLXXXVII.)  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685, 
torn.  ii.  col.  681.  En.] 

[5  Nam  spatia  locorum  tolle  corporibus,  nusquam  erunt;  et  quia 
nusquam  erunt,  nee  erunt.  Ib.  col.  680.  ED.] 

QG  Deinde  si  verbi  et  carnis  una  natura  est,  quomodo  cum  verbum 
ubique  sit,  non  ubique  inveniatur  et  caro?  namque  quando  in  terra 
fuit,  non  erat  utique  in  ccelo,  et  nunc  quia  in  coelo  est,  non  est  utique 
in  terra ;  et  in  tantum  non  est,  ut  secundum  ipsam  Christum  spectemus 
venturum  de  coalo,  quern  secundum  verbum  nobiscum  essc  crcdimus  in 
terra.  Vigil,  cont.  Eutych.  Tiguri,  1539,  p.  70.  ED.] 

12 
[RIDLEY.] 


178  A     DETERMINATION 

Also,  the  same  Vigilius  saith :  "  Which  things  seeing 
they  be  so,  the  course  of  the  scripture  must  be  searched  of 
us,  and  many  testimonies  must  be  gathered,  to  shew  plainly 
what  a  wickedness  and  sacrilege  it  is  to  refer  those  things  to 
the  property  of  the  divine  nature,  which  do  only  belong  to  the 
nature  of  the  flesh ;  and  contrariwise,  to  apply  those  things 
unto  the  nature  of  the  flesh,  which  do  properly  belong  to 
the  divine  nature1."  Which  thing  the  transubstantiators  do, 
whilst  they  affirm  Christ's  body  not  to  be  contained  in  any 
one  place,  and  ascribe  that  to  his  humanity,  which  properly 
belongeth  to  his  divinity :  as  they  do  which  will  have  Chrisfs 
body  to  be  in  no  one  certain  place  limited. 

Now,  in  the  latter  conclusion  concerning  the  sacrifice, 
because  it  dependeth  upon  the  first,  I  will  in  few  words  de 
clare  what  I  think.  For  if  we  did  once  agree  in  that,  the 
whole  controversy  in  the  other  would  soon  be  at  an  end. 
Two  things  there  be  which  do  persuade  me  that  this  con 
clusion  is  true:  that  is,  certain  places  of  the  scripture,  and 
also  certain  testimonies  of  the  fathers. 

Heb.  ix.  $t  Paul  saith,  "Christ  being  become  an  high  priest  of  good 

sacrifice  of  things  to   come,  by  a  greater  and  more  perfect  tabernacle, 
body.          not  made  with  hands,  that  is,  not  of  this  building,  neither 
by  the  blood  of  goats  and   calves,  but   by  his   own   blood, 
entered  once  into  the  holy  place,  and  obtained  for  us  eter 
nal  redemption,  &c.  and  now  in  the  end  of  the  world  he  hath 
appeared  once  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself." 
Heb. x.       And  again:  ''Christ  was  once  offered  to  take  away  the  sins 
of  many."     Moreover  he  saith  :   "  With  one  offering  hath  he 
made  perfect  for  ever  those  that  are  sanctified." 
Christ  never        These   scriptures   do   persuade   me  to  believe  that  there 

offered  but 

once-  is  no  other  oblation  of  Christ,  (albeit  I  am  not  ignorant 
there  are  many  sacrifices)  but  that  which  was  once  made 
upon  the  cross. 

The  testimonies  of  the  ancient  fathers  which  confirm  the 

BomSpist.  same,  are  out  of  Augustine  ad  Bonifac.  Epist.  23.     Again  in 

23. 

Q1  Quae  cum  ita  sint,  series  nobis  divinarum  pcrcurrenda  est  litera- 
rum,  et  plurima  testimonia  congerenda,  quibus  demonstretur,  quam  sit 
impium  et  sacrilegum.  ea,  quss  sunt  propria  carnis  Christi,  ad  naturse 
verbi  proprietatem  referre,  et  quse  sunt  propria  verbi,  proprietati  natune 
carnis  adscribere.  Id.  lib.  v.  p.  88. 


CONCERNING    THE    SACRAMENT. 


179 


his  book  of  Questions,  in  the  61st  Question.  Also  in  his 
book  against  Faustus  the  Manichee,  Book  xx.  Chap.  21.  And 
in  the  same  book  against  the  said  Faustus,  Chap.  18.  thus 
he  writeth :  "  Now  the  Christians  keep  a  memorial  of  the 
sacrifice  past,  with  a  holy  oblation  and  participation  of  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ2."  Fulgentius  in  his  book  De  Fide 
calleth  the  same  oblation  a  commemoration.  And  these 
things  are  sufficient  for  this  time  for  a  scholastical  determi 
nation  of  these  matters3. 

Q2  Uncle  jam  Christian!  pcracti  cjusdcm  sacrificii  mcmoriam  cele 
brant  sacrosancta  oblatione  et  participatione  corporis  et  sanguinis 
Christi.  S.  Aug.  cont.  Faust,  lib.  xx.  cap.  18.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685, 
torn.  ix.  col.  34o.  ED.] 

Q3  The  other  passages  from  St  Augustine  are  to  be  found  in  the 
notes  to  the  Treatise  on  Transubstantiation :  see  pp.  39,  40,  41.  ED.] 


JUDICIUM     DE     EPISTOLIS     DECRETALIBUS. 


Nicolai  Ridlei  episcopi  Londinensis  judicium  de  epistolis 
decretalibus,  sc.  dementis,  Anacleti,  Lucii,  Pontiani,  et 
aliorum  vetiistissimorum  pontificum. 


E  MSS.  Bill  Coll  Emm.  apud  Cantab. 


Ego  sane  censeo  esse  supposititias  et  ab  impostoribus 
subornatas,  ut  crederentur  falso  esse  patrum  decreta— nee 
possum  adduci  ut  credam  quse  citantur  ex  decretalibus  epistolis 
Gelasii  et  Vigilii  et  [aliorum']  Pontificum  Bomanomm,  esse 
vere  illorum.  Nunquam  credam  tarn  doctos  viros  tantopere 
delirasse,  ut  Petrum  Cephas  dictum  dicerent  quia  esset  caput, 
quod  Cephas  caput  significant.  Et  Jacobum  mortuum  esse 
constat  priusquam  Clemens  in  sede  Romanfi  constitutus  est. 
Multaque  prseterea  illic  scribuntur,  qtise  ab  illius  temporis 
conditione  prorsus  sunt  alienissima.  In  una  epistola,  sicut 
memini,  dicitur,  quod,  sicut  uxor  ob  nullam  viri  culpam  potest 
virum  deserere,  ita  nunquam  ecclesia  potest  deponere  suum 
episcopum  propter  ulla  crimina,  &c. 

Et  doctrina  talis  multa  est  in  illis,  quse,  collata  cum  classi- 
cis  scriptoribus  et  veteribus,  facile  meo  judicio  ostendit  illas 
non  esse  istorum  pontificum  Romanorum,  qui  fuerunt  viri 
doctissimi  et  sanctissimi.  Usec  ego  respondenda  esse  censeo 
Bradfordo  meo  ad  suam  qunestionem  de  authoritate  haruni 
epistolarum. 

De  phrasi  in  epistolis  ascriptis  Pontiano,  in  qua  dicitur, 
"  Presbyteri  ore  conficiunt  corpus  Christi",  nihil  est  quod 
quemcunque  offendat,  si  more  veterum  intelligatur  verbum  :  ita 
enim  loquitur  Hieronymus;  "Absit  ut  aliquid  mali  suspi- 
cietur  de  iis  qui  ore  sacro  dominicum  corpus  conficiunt1/' 

Q  The  following  passage  was  probably  that  to  which  Ridley  referred, 
"  Absit  ut  de  his  [clericis]  quidquam  sinistmm  loquar.,  quia  Apostolico 


JUDIC1UM    T)E    EPISTOL1S    DECRETALIEUS.  181 

"  Conficcrc  corpus  Domini"  illis  nihil  aliud  erat  quam  conficere 
sacramentum  corporis  Domini,  quse  pars  erat  ministerii  nostri 
Domini ;  narn  qui  ministrabant  verbum  Dei,  iidem  et  panem 
perpetuo  frangebant,  et  lit  Tertullianus2  ait,  antiquitus  "  non 
nisi  de  preesidentium  manu  panem  dominicum  sumere  consue-  Act 
verunt,"  hoc  est,  non  [nisi]  ab  illis  sanctificatum.  Et  quod 
ad  honorem  presbyterorum  pertinet,  si  modb  tales  essent 
(males  esse  deberent,  qui  et  in  verbo  et  doctrina  laborarent, 
quales  multos  fuisse  in  illo  tempore  valde  est  credibile,  status 
est  vere  venerabilium  et  honorabilium  virorum. 

gradui  succedentcs,  Christi  corpus  sacro  ore  eonficiunt,  per  quos  et  nos 
Christian!  sumus.  S.  Hieron.  Epist.  5.  ad.  Heliodorum  Monachum. 
Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  torn.  iv.  pars  2.  p.  10.  ED.] 

[2  The  words  of  Tertullian  are:  " Eucharistia?  sacramentum  et  in 
tempore  victus,  et  omnibus  mandatum  a  Domino,  etiam  antelucanis 
coctibus,  nee  de  aliorum  manu  quam  pracsidcntium  sumimus."  De  Co 
rona,  cap.  8.  Op.  Iligalt.  Paris,  1041.  p.  121.  ED.] 


A    JUDGEMENT    CONCERNING    THE    DECRETAL    EPISTLES. 


From  the  MSS.  in  the  Library  of  Emmanuel  Coll.  Carol). 


[The  Judgement  of  Nicholas  Kidley,  Bishop  of  London,  con 
cerning  the  decretal  epistles,  to  wit,  those  of  Clement, 
Anacletus,  Lucius,  Pontianus,  and  other  most  ancient 
pontiffs. 


I  fully  believe  them  to  be  supposititious  and  suborned  by 
impostors,  that  they  might  falsely  be  deemed  to  be  the  decrees 
of  the  fathers.  Nor  can  I  be  induced  to  believe  those  passages 
which  are  cited  from  the  decretal  epistles  of  Gelasius  and 
Vigilius,  and  of  [other]  Koman  pontiffs,  to  be  truly  theirs. 
I  will  never  believe  such  learned  men  so  to  have  raved,  as 
to  say  that  Peter  was  called  Cephas  because  he  was  the 
head,  for  that  Cephas  signifies  "head."  And  it  is  evident 
that  James  was  dead  before  Clement  was  appointed  to  the 
Eoman  see.  And  many  other  things  besides  are  there  written 
which  are  altogether  inconsistent  with  the  circumstances  of 
that  period.  In  one  epistle  it  is  asserted,  as  I  remember, 
that  as  a  wife  may  not  on  account  of  any  fault  in  her  hus 
band  desert  her  husband,  so  neither  could  a  Church,  on 
account  of  any  crimes,  depose  her  Bishop. 

And  much  of  such  doctrine  is  there  in  them,  which,  when 
compared  with  the  old  and  classical  writers,  shews  them 
easily,  in  my  judgement,  not  to  be  the  works  of  those  Eoman 
Pontiffs,  who  were  most  learned  and  holy  men.  Thus  then 
do  I  think  it  well  to  answer  my  Bradford's  question  concern 
ing  the  authority  of  these  epistles. 

As  to  the  phrase  in  the  epistles  ascribed  to  Pontianus, 
in  which  it  is  said,  "the  priests  with  their  mouth  make 
[confident]  the  body  of  Christ", — there  is  nothing  which  can 
offend  any  body,  if  the  word  be  understood  after  the  usage 
of  the  ancients — for  so  also  speaks  Jerome :  "  Let  there  be 


A    JUDGEMENT    CONCERNING    THE    DECRETAL    EPISTLES.        183 

no  evil  suspected  of  those  who  by  their  sacred  mouth  make 
[conficiuni]  the  Lord's  body  [corpus  dominicum].     For  with 
them  to  make  [conficere]  the  body  of  the  Lord,  was  no  other 
than  to  make  [conficere\  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord^s  body, 
which  was  a  part  of  the  ministry  of  our  Lord ;  for  they  who 
ministered  the  word  of  God,  the  same  also  perpetually  broke 
bread — and   as    Tertullian    says,    u  anciently  they  were    not  st  Paul, 
accustomed  to  receive  the  bread  of  the  Lord  save  from  the  * 
hands  of  those  presiding  over  them — i.  e.  unless  it  had  been 
sanctified  by  them. 

And  as  to  what  concerns  the  honour  of  the  priests,  if 
only  they  were,  as  they  ought  to  be,  men  who  laboured 
both  in  the  word  and  in  doctrine,  such  as  in  that  period 
it  is  highly  credible  that  many  were,  [then]  is  it  truly  the 
position  of  venerable  and  honourable  men.  ED.] 


DISPUTATIONS    AND    EXAMINATIONS, 


I.      DISPUTATION   AT    OXFORD   BETWEEN 

DR  SMITH,   WITH   HIS  COLLEAGUES 

AND  OTHER  DOCTORS,  AND 

BISHOP  RIDLEY. 


II.      THE   ORDER  AND   MANNER  OF   THE 

EXAMINATION  OF   DOCTOR  RIDLEY 

HAD   THE  30xH   DAY  OF 

SEPTEMBER, 

1555, 
BEFORE  THE  QUEEN'S  COMMISSIONERS. 


I. 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD 

BETWEEN 

DR    SMITH, 

WITH    HIS    OTHER    COLLEAGUES    AND    DOCTORS, 


AND 


BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


REPRINTED  FROM   FOX'S  ACTS  AND  MONUMENTS. 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD 

BETWEEN' 

DR    SMITH, 

WITH    HIS   OTHER    COLLEAGUES   AND    DOCTORS, 

AND 

BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


PREFACE  OF  FOX. 

THE  next  day  following,  which  was  the  17thl  of  April, 
[1555]  was  brought  forth  Dr  Ridley  to  dispute ;  against  whom 
was  set  Dr  Smith2  to  be  principal  opponent.  Touching  which 
Dr  Smith,  forsomuch  as  mention  here  happeneth  of  his  name, 
first  the  reader  is  to  be  advertised  what  is  to  be  attributed 
to  his  judgment  in  religion,  who  so  oftentimes  before  had 
turned  and  returned  to  and  fro,  grounded  (as  it  seemeth)  upon 
no  firm  conscience  of  doctrine,  as  both  by  his  articles  by  him 

Q1  This  is  said  in  some  editions  to  have  been  April  12th.  in  others 
April  18th,  and  in  the  MSS.  in  the  library  of  C.C.C.  at  Cambridge  to 
have  taken  place  on  April  2,  but  Tuesday,  April  17th,  appears  to  have 
been  the  correct  date.  Strype  in  his  life  of  Cranmer,  (Book  in.  chap.  10.) 
gives  the  order  of  the  proceedings  day  by  day,  grounding  it  as  he  alleges 
on  a  letter  written  by  Dr  Weston  himself  to  the  Bishop  of  London 
(Bonner):  from  this  account  it  seems,  that  by  a  legal  instrument  the 
University  of  Cambridge  authorised  their  Commissioners  to  go  to  Ox 
ford  to  the  Disputation ;  this  was  done  by  the  Senate,  April  10th,  and 
at  the  same  time  a  letter  was  written  by  the  authority  of  the  Senate 
to  the  University  of  Oxford ;  both  these  documents,  viz.  the  legal  in 
strument  and  the  letter  are  given  by  Strype;  (Append,  nos.  77,  78,) 
the  process  commenced  on  Saturday.  Cranmer,  Ridley  and  Latimer 
disputed  on  Monday,  Tuesday  and  Wednesday.  On  Wednesday,  April 
18th,  the  disputations  ended,  and  on  Friday,  April  20th,  all  the  three 
disputants  were  condemned.  En.] 

[2  A  full  account  of  Dr  Smith,  together  with  the  reason  of  his 
leaving  England  will  be  found  in  Strype's  life  of  Cranmer,  Book  n. 
chap.  7  and  22.  En.] 


190  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

recanted  may  appear,  and  also  by  his  own  letter  sent  a  little 
before  in  king  Edward's  days  to  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury 
from  Scotland.  Which  letter  I  thought  here  to  exhibit  as 
a  certain  preface  before  his  own  arguments,  or  rather  as  a 
testimony  against  himself,  whereby  the  reader  may  understand 
how  devoutly  he  magnified  them  and  their  doctrine  a  little 
before,  against  whom  he  now  disputeth  so  busily.  Eead  I 
beseech  thee  his  epistle,  and  judge. 

The  true  Copy  of  a  certain  Epistle  of  Dr  Richard  Smith  to 
Dr  Cranmer,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  declaring  his 
Affection  to  the  setting  forth  of  God's  sincere  Word. 

Most  honourable,  I  commend  me  unto  your  lordship,  doing 
the  same  to  understand,  that  I  wrote  letters  to  your  grace  in 
January  last  and  the  10th  day  of  February,  declaring  the 
causes  of  my  sudden  and  unadvised  departing  from  your  grace 
over  the  sea ;  and  desiring  your  good  lordship,  of  your  charity 
toward  them  that  repent  of  their  ill  acts,  to  forgive  me  your 
self  all  the  wrong  I  did  towards  your  grace,  and  to  obtain 
in  writing  the  king's  majesty's  pardon  for  me  in  all  points 
concerning  his  laws :  upon  the  receipt  whereof  I  would  re 
turn  again  home,  and,  within  half  a  year  (at  the  uttermost) 
afterward,  write  "  De  Sacerdotum  Connubiis,"  etc.  a  Latin 
forth?  book  that  should  be  a  just  satisfaction  for  any  thing  that  I 
have  written  against  the  same.  Eeliquaque  omnia  dogmata 
vestra  turn  demum  libentur  amplexurum,  ubi  Deus  mentem 
meam  [ita  persuadeat]  ut  ea  citra  conscientise  laesionem 
agnoscam  doceamque.  I  wrote  not  this  that  I  want  any 
good  living  here,  but  because  mine  absence  out  of  the  realm 
is  dishonour  to  the  king's  highness  and  realm,  and  because 
I  must  need's  (if  I  tarry  here  a  quarter  of  a  year  longer) 
write  an  answer  to  your  grace's  book  of  the  sacrament,  and 
also  a  book  of  common  places  against  all  the  doctrine  set 
forth  by  the  king's  majesty,  which  I  cannot  do  with  a  good 
conscience.  Wherefore  I  beseech  your  grace  help  me  home, 
as  soon  as  you  may  conveniently,  for  God's  sake;  and  ye 
shall  never,  I  trust  in  God,  repent  that  fact. 
Ex  urbe  divi  Andrea?.  14.  Feb.  [1550.] 

Rich.  Smitheus. 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  1.91 


And  thus  much  touching  the  forenamed  Dr  Richard  Smith, 
being  set  here  (as  is  said)  to  dispute  against  bishop  Ridley, 
who  was  brought  now,  the  next  day  after  the  archbishop,  to 
answer  in  the  divinity  school.  Against  whom  also,  besides 
Dr  Smith,  disputed  Dr  Weston,  Dr  Tresham,  Dr  Oglethorpe, 
Dr  Glyn,  Dr  Seton,  and  Dr  Cole,  Master  Ward,  Master 
Harpsh'eld,  Dr  Watson,  Master  Pie,  Master  Harding,  Master 
Curtop,  Master  Fecknam :  to  all  them  he  answered  very 
learnedly.  He  made  a  preface  to  these  questions,  but  they 
would  not  let  him  go  forth  in  it,  but  caused  him  to  make 
an  end  of  the  same,  and  said  it  was  blasphemy.  And 
some  said,  he  drove  off  the  time  in  ambiguous  things,  no 
thing  to  the  purpose ;  and  so  they  would  not  suffer  him  to 
say  his  mind.  Dr  Smith  could  get  nothing  at  his  hand; 
insomuch  that  others  did  take  his  arguments  and  pro 
secuted  them.  He  shewed  himself  to  be  learned,  and  a 
great  clerk.  They  could  bring  nothing,  but  he  knew  it  as 
well  as  they. 

The  Disputation  beginneth. 

Weston  the  Prolocutor: — "Good  Christian  people  and 
brethren,  we  have  begun  this  day  our  school,  by  God's  good 
speed,  I  trust;  and  are  entering  into  a  controversy,  whereof 
no  question  ought  to  be  moved,  concerning  the  verity  of  the 
body  of  our  Lord  Jesu  Christ  in  the  eucharist.  Christ  is  true, 
who  said  the  words.  The  words  are  true  which  he  spake,  yea, 
truth  itself  that  cannot  fail.  Let  us  therefore  pray  unto  God 
to  send  down  unto  us  his  holy  Spirit,  which  is  the  true  in 
terpreter  of  his  word;  which  may  purge  away  errors,  and 
give  light,  that  verity  may  appear.  Let  us  also  ask  leave 
and  liberty  of  the  church,  to  permit  the  truth  received  to 
be  called  this  day  in  question,  without  any  prejudice  to  the 
same.  Your  parts  thereof  shall  be  to  implore  the  assistance 
of  Almighty  God,  to  pray  for  the  prosperity  of  the  queen's 
majesty,  and  to  give  us  quiet  and  attentive  ears.  Now  go 
to  your  question." 

Dr  Smith :— "  This  day,  right  learned  Master  Doctor, 
questions    are    propounded,    whereof  no    controversy   among 
Christians  ought  to  be  moved,  to  wit; 


192  DISPUTATION'    AT    OXFORD. 

"  First,  Whether  the  natural  body  of  Christ  our  Saviour 
conceived  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  offered  for  man's 
redemption  upon  the  cross,  is  verily  and  really  in  the 
sacrament  by  virtue  of  God's  word  spoken  by  the 
priests,  &c. 

"  Secondly,  Whether  in  the  sacrament,  after  the  words  of 
consecration,  be  any  other  substance,  &c. 

"  Thirdly,  Whether  in  the  mass  be  a  sacrifice  propi 
tiatory,  &c. 

"Touching  the  which  questions,  although  you  have  pub 
licly  and  apertly  professed  your  judgment  and  opinion  on 
Saturday  last ;  yet  being  not  satisfied  with  that  your  an 
swer,  I  will  essay  again  to  demand  your  sentence  in  the  first 
question — whether  the  true  body  of  Christ,  after  the  words 
pronounced,  be  really  in  the  eucharist,  or  else  only  the  figure. 
In  which  matter  I  stand  here  now  to  hear  your  answer." 

The  Preface  or  Protestation  of  Dr  Ridley  before  Ms 
Disputation.1 

"  I  received  of  you  the  other  day,  right  worshipful  master 
prolocutor,  and  ye  my  reverend  masters,  commissioners  from 
the  queen's  majesty  and  her  honourable  council,  three  propo 
sitions  ;  whereunto  ye  commanded  me  to  prepare  against  this 
day,  what  I  thought  good  to  answer  concerning  the  same. 

"  Now,  whilst  I  weighed  with  myself  how  great  a  charge 
of  the  Lord's  flock  was  of  late  committed  unto  me,  for  the 
which  I  am  certain  I  must  once  render  an  account  to  my 
Lord  God  (and  that  how  soon,  he  knoweth),  and  that  more 
over,  by  the  commandment  of  the  Apostle  Peter,  I  ought  to 
be  ready  alway  to  give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  me  with 
meekness  and  reverence,  unto  every  one  that  shall  demand 
the  same :  beside  this,  considering  my  duty  to  the  Church  of 
Christ,  and  to  your  worships,  being  commissioners  by  public 
authority ;  I  determined  with  myself  to  obey  your  command 
ment,  and  so  openly  to  declare  unto  you  my  mind  touching 
moved  ^e  a^oresa^  propositions.  And  albeit,  plainly  to  confess 

Q1  This  Preface  or  Protestation  exists  in  Ridley's  own  Latin,  and 
will  be  found  in  Appendix  I.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  193 

unto  you  the  truth  in  these  things  which  ye  now  demand  of 
me,  I  have  thought  otherwise  in  times  past  than  now  I  do, 
yet  (God  I  call  to  record  unto  my  soul,  I  lie  not)  I  have 
not  altered  my  judgment,  as  now  it  is,  either  by  constraint 
of  any  man  or  laws,  either  for  the  dread  of  any  dangers  of 
this  world,  either  for  any  hope  of  commodity;  but  only  for 
the  love  of  the  truth  revealed  unto  me  by  the  grace  of  God 
(as  I  am  undoubtedly  persuaded)  in  his  holy  word,  and  in 
the  reading  of  the  ancient  fathers. 

"  These  things  I  do  rather  recite  at  this  present,  because 
it  may  happen  to  some  of  you  hereafter,  as  in  times  past  it 
hath  done  to  me  :  I  mean,  if  ye  think  otherwise  of  the  matters 
propounded  in  these  propositions  than  now  I  do,  God  may 
open  them  unto  you  in  time  to  come. 

"  But  howsoever  it  shall  be,  I  will  in  few  words  do  that 
which  I  think  ye  all  look  I  should  do ;  that  is,  as  plainly  as 
I  can,  I  will  declare  my  judgment  herein.  Howbeit  of  this 
I  would  ye  were  not  ignorant,  that  I  will  not  indeed  wittingly 
and  willingly  speak  in  any  point  against  God's  word,  or  dissent 
in  any  one  jot  from  the  same,  or  from  the  rules  of  faith,  and 
Christian  religion :  which  rules  that  same  most  sacred  word 
of  God  prescribeth  to  the  church  of  Christ,  whereunto  I  now 
and  for  ever  submit  myself  and  all  my  doings.  And  because 
the  matter  I  have  now  taken  in  hand  is  weighty,  and  ye  all 
well  know  how  unready  I  am  to  handle  it  accordingly,  as  well  J) 
for  lack  of  time,  as  also  lack  of  books ;  therefore  here  I  pro 
test,  that  I  will  publicly  this  day  require  of  you,  that  it  may 
be  lawful  for  me,  concerning  all  mine  answers,  explications, 
and  confirmations,  to  add  or  diminish  whatsoever  shall  seem 
hereafter  more  convenient  and  meet  for  the  purpose,  through 
more  sound  judgment,  better  deliberation,  and  more  exact 
trial  of  every  particular  thing.  Having  now,  by  the  way  of 
preface  and  protestation,  spoken  these  few  words,  I  will  come 
to  the  answering  of  the  propositions  propounded  unto  me,  and 
so  to  the  most  brief  explication  and  confirmation  of  mine 
answers." 

Weston: — "Keverend  master  doctor,  concerning  the  lack 
of  books  there  is  no  cause  why  you  should  complain.     What 
books   soever  you  will  name,  ye  shall  have  them ;   and  as  not  kept' 
concerning  the  judgment  of  your  answers  to  be  had  of  your- 

13 

[RIDLEY.] 


hurch  of 
Christ. 


194  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

self  with  further  deliberation,  it  shall,  I  say,  be  lawful  for 
you,  until  Sunday  next,  to  add  unto  them  what  you  shall 
think  good  yourself.  My  mind  is,  that  we  should  use  short 
arguments,  lest  we  should  make  an  infinite  process  of  the 
thing:1 

Ridley  :  —  "  There  is  another  thing  besides,  which  I  would 
gladly  obtain  at  your  hands.  I  perceive  that  you  have  writers 
and  notaries  here  present.  By  all  likelihood  our  disputations 
shall  be  published1:  I  beseech  you  for  God's  sake,  let  me 
have  liberty  to  speak  my  mind  freely,  and  without  interrup 
tion  ;  not  because  I  have  determined  to  protract  the  time 
with  a  solemn  preface,  but  lest  it  may  appear  that  some  be 
not  satisfied.  God  wot  I  am  no  orator,  nor  have  I  learned 
rhetoric  to  set  colours  on  the  matter." 

Weston:  —  "Among  this  whole  company  it  shall  be  per 
mitted  you  to  take  two  for  your  part." 

Ridley  :  —  "  I  will  choose  two,  if  there  are  any  here  with 
whom  I  were  acquainted." 
notSesV°  Weston  :  —  "Here  are   two   which   master    Cranmer   had 


yesterday.     Take  them,  if  it  please  you." 
ofsausbu?y,        Ridley:  —  "I  am  content  with   them;    1   trust   they  are 
' 


Mounson. 

The  First  Proposition. 

In  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  by  the  virtue  of  God^s 
word  spoken  of  the  priest,  the  natural  body  of  Christ,  born 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  his  natural  blood  are  really  present 
under  the  forms  of  bread  and  wine. 

The  Answer  of  Dr  Ridley. 

The  pro-  Ridley  :  —  "  In  matters  appertaining  to  God  we  may  not 

put  forth      speak  according  to  the  sense  of  man,  nor  of  the  world  :  there 

in  dark  .  . 

terms.        fore   this   proposition  or   conclusion  is  framed  after   another 
manner  of  phrase  or  kind  of  speech  than  the  Scripture  useth. 

[x  "Shall  be  published."  Dr  Wordsworth  says:  "However  this 
might  be  intended  by  the  Romish  party,  yet  the  design  was  never 
executed,  for  reasons  which  it  requires  no  (Edipus  to  conjecture. 
They  were  challenged  by  the  Protestants  to  make  them  public.  '  And 
yet  for  all  this,  I  warrant  you,  they  be  not  hasty  in  putting  forth 
the  disputations  in  print.  As  much  as  they  brag,  I  dare  say  they 
will  never  put  them  forth.'"  ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

Again,  it  is  very  obscure  and  dark,  by  means  of  sundry  words 
of  doubtful  signification.  And  being  taken  in  the  sense  which 
the  schoolmen  teach,  and  at  this  time  the  church  of  Rome 
doth  defend,  it  is  false  and  erroneous,  and  plain  contrary  to 
the  doctrine  which  is  according  to  godliness." 

The  Explication. 

Ridley  :  —  "  How  far  the  diversity  and  newness  of  the 
phrase,  in  all  this  first  proposition,  is  from  the  phrase  of 
the  holy  Scripture,  and  that  in  every  part  almost,  it  is  so 
plain  and  evident  to  any  that  is  but  meanly  exercised  in  holy 
writ,  that  I  need  not  now  (especially  in  this  company  of 
learned  men),  to  spend  any  time  therein,  except  the  same 
shall  be  required  of  me  hereafter. 

"  First,  there  is  a  doubtful  sense  in  these  words  '  by  virtue  ?irs* 

»    f  doubt. 

of  God's  word  :'  for  it  is  doubtful  what  word  of  God  this  is  ; 
whether  it  be  that  which  is  read  in  the  evangelists,  or  in  Paul, 
or  any  other.  And  if  it  be  that  which  is  in  the  evangelists,  or 
in  St  Paul,  what  that  is.  If  it  be  in  none  of  them,  then  how 
it  may  be  known  to  be  God's  word,  and  of  such  virtue  that 
it  should  be  able  to  work  so  great  a  matter. 

"  Again,  there  is  a  doubt  in  these  words  '  of  the  priest,1 
whether  no  man  may  be  called  a  priest,  but  he  which  hath 
authority  to  make  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  quick  and  the 
dead  ;  and  how  it  may  be  proved  that  this  authority  was  com 
mitted  of  God  to  any  man,  but  to  Christ  alone. 


"  It  is  likewise  doubted,  after  what  order  the  sacrificing 

°  doubt. 

priest  shall  be,  whether  after  the  order  of  Aaron,  or  else 
after  the  order  of  Melchizedek.  For  as  far  as  I  know,  the 
holy  Scripture  doth  allow  no  more." 

Weston:—  "Let  this  be  sufficient." 

Ridley:  —  "  If  we  lack  time  at  this  present,  there  is  time 
enough  hereafter." 

Weston  :  —  "  These  are  but  evasions  or  starting  holes  :  you 
consume  the  time  in  vain." 

Ridley:  —  "I   cannot  start  far  from  you:    I  am  captive 
and  bound." 

Weston:—  "Fall  to  it,  my  masters." 

Smith:  —  "That  which  you  have  spoken,  may  suffice  at 
this  present." 

13—2 


196 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 


Ridley : — "  Let   me   alone,   I  pray  you ;    for  I  have  not 
much  to  say  behind." 

Weston:—"Gro  forward." 

doubt1'  Ridley: — "Moreover,   there   is   ambiguity  in   this   word 

'really,'  whether  it  be  to  be  taken  as  the  logicians  term  it, 
6  transcendenter  ;'  that  is,  most  generally :  and  so  it  may  sig 
nify  any  manner  of  thing  which  belongeth  to  the  body  of 
Christ,  by  any  means :  after  which  sort  we  also  grant  Christ's 
body  to  be  really  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper 
(as  in  disputation,  if  occasion  be  given,  shall  be  declared),  or 
whether  it  be  taken  to  signify  the  very  same  thing,  having 
body,  life,  and  soul,  which  was  assumed  and  taken  of  the 
word  of  God  into  the  unity  of  person.  In  which  sense,  since 
the  body  of  Christ  is  really  in  heaven,  because  of  the  true 
manner  of  his  body,  it  may  not  be  said  to  be  here  in  the 
earth. 

doubt.  "  There    is    yet  a  further   doubtfulness  in  these   words, 

'under  the  forms  of  bread  and  wine,'  whether  the  forms  be 

there  taken  to  signify  the  only  accidental  and  outward  shews 

of  bread  and  wine ;    or  therewithal  the   substantial   natures 

thereof,  which  are  to  be  seen  by  their  qualities,  and  perceived 

To3tKm'      ky  exterior  senses.     Now  the  error  and  falseness  of  the  pro- 

affe^the5    Pos^ion,  after  the  sense  of  the  Roman  church  and  schoolmen, 

the  Romish  mav  nere^y  appear,   in   that   they   affirm   the   bread    to   be 

church.       transubstantiated  and  changed  into  the  flesh  assumed  of  the 

word  of  God,  and  that  (as  they  say)  by  virtue  of  the  word, 

which  they  have  devised  by  a  certain  number  of  words,  and 

cannot  be  found  in  any  of  the  evangelists,  or  in  Paul ;    and 

so  they  gather  that  Christ's  body  is  really  contained  in  the 

Transub-     sacrament  of  the  altar.     Which  position  is  grounded  upon 

stantiation  t  ...  . 

not  founded  the  foundation   of  the  transubstantiation ;    which   foundation 

in  Scripture.  . 

is  monstrous,  against  reason,  and  destroyeth  the  analogy  or 
proportion  of  the  sacraments;  and  therefore  this  proposition 
also,  which  is  builded  upon  this  rotten  foundation,  is  false, 
erroneous,  and  to  be  counted  as  a  detestable  heresy  of  the 
\  sacramentaries.'1 

Weston :— "  We  lose  time." 
Ridley: — "You  shall  have  time  enough." 
Weston : — "  Fall   to   reasoning.      You   shall    have   some 
other  day  for  this  matter." 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  197 


Ridley : — "  I   have  no   more   to   say  concerning  my  ex 
plication.     If  you  will  give  me  leave,  and  let  me  alone,  I 
will  but  speak  a  word  or  two  for  my  confirmation." 
Weston: — "Go  to;  say  on." 

The  Confirmation  of  the  aforesaid  Ansicer. 

Fes-1  Ridley:— "There  ought  no  doctrine  to  be  established  Areument- 
in   the  church  of  God,  which  dissenteth  from  the 
word  of  God,  from  the  rule  of  faith,  and  draweth 
with  it  many  absurdities  that  cannot  be  avoided. 
ti-     "  But  this  doctrine  of  the  first  proposition  is  such : 
no.    "Ergo,  It  ought  not  to  be  established  and  maintained 

in  the  church  of  God. 

"  The  major  or  first  part  of  my  argument  is  plain,  and 
the  minor  or  second  part  is  proved  thus: 

"This  doctrine  maintaineth  a  real,  corporal,  and  carnal 
presence  of  Christ's  flesh,  assumed  and  taken  of  the  word, 
to  be  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  that  not 
by  virtue  and  grace  only,  but  also  by  the  whole  essence  and 
substance  of  the  body  and  flesh  of  Christ. 

"  But  such  a  presence  disagreeth  from  God's  word,  from  The  real 
the   rule   of  faith,  and   cannot   but  draw  with  it  many  ab-  «fisagreeth 

J  from  Scrip- 

surdities :  ture- 

"Ergo,  The  second  part  is  true. 

"The  first  part  of  this  argument  is  manifest,  and  the 
second  may  yet  further  be  confirmed  thus : " — 

Weston: — "  Thus  you  consume  time,  which  might  be  better  We§ton 

J  again  mter- 

bestowed  on  other  matters.     Master  opponent,  I  pray  you  to 
your  arguments." 

Smith : — "  I  will  here  reason  with  you  upon  transubstan- 

J]1  It  may  be  well  to  observe,  that  ratiocination,  according  to  the 
rules  of  logic,  is  conducted  by  means  of  figures  and  moods,  as  they 
arc  termed ;  these  are  couched  in  certain  mnemonic  words,  which  have 
been  put  into  five  mnemonic  hexameters,  as  follows : 

Fig.  1.    Barbara,  Celarent,  Darii,  Ferioque  prioris. 

Fig.  2.    Cesare,  Camestres,  Festino,  Baroco,  secunda?. 


Sec  also  Abp.  Whately's  Logic.    ED.] 


198  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

tiation,  which  you  say  is  contrary  to  the  rule  and  analogy 
of  faith ;  the  contrary  whereof  I  proved  by  the  Scriptures  and 
the  doctors.  But  before  I  enter  argumentation  with  you,  I 
demand  first,  whether  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  John  there  be 
any  mention  made  of  the  sacrament,  or  of  the  real  presence 
of  Christ  in  the  sacrament  2" 

Ridley : — "  It  is  against  reason,  that  I  should  be  impeached 
to  prosecute  that  which  I  have  to  speak  in  this  assembly  ;  being 
not  so  long,  but  that  it  may  be  comprehended  in  few  words." 

Weston : — "  Let  him  read  on." 
convenf"  -ZfaW%  • — "  First  of  all,  this  presence  is  contrary  to  many 

of  the  real6    P^aC6S   °^  *ne   n°ty    Scripture. 

presence.  "  Secondly,  it  varieth  from  the  articles  of  the  faith. 

"  Thirdly,  it  destroy eth  and  taketh  away  the  institution 
of  the  Lord's  supper. 

"  Fourthly,  it  maketh  precious  things  common  to  profane 
and  ungodly  persons;  for  it  casteth  that  which  is  holy  unto 
dogs,  and  pearls  unto  swine. 

"  Fifthly,  it  forceth  men  to  maintain  many  monstrous  mi 
racles  without  necessity  and  authority  of  God's  word. 

"Sixthly,  it  giveth  occasion  to  the  heretics,  who  erred 
concerning  the  two  natures  in  Christ,  to  defend  their  here 
sies  thereby. 

"  Seventhly,  it  falsifieth  the  sayings  of  the  godly  fathers ; 

it  falsifieth  also  the  catholic  faith  of  the  church,  which  the 

Apostles  taught,  the  martyrs  confirmed,  and  the  faithful  (as 

vigiiius.      one  of  the  fathers  saith)  do  retain  and  keep  until  this  day. 

Wherefore  the  second  part  of  mine  argument  is  true." 

The  Probation  of  the  second  or  minor1  part  of  this 
Argument  ly  the  parts  thereof. 

The  seven          «  This  carnal  presence  is  contrary  to  the  word  of  God, 
ences  de-     as  appeareth  thus : — c  I  tell  you  the  truth.     It  is  profitable 

jahnxvi      ^°  y°u  *na^  ^  £°  awav;  ^or  *f  1  £°  n°t  awav>  the  Comforter 

Acts  iii.       shall  not  come  unto  you.'     4  Whom  the  heavens  must  receive 

until  the  time  of  restoring  of  all  tilings  which   God  hath 

p  Some  editions  have  "  antecedent  or  former  part" ;  but  on  a 
reference  to  the  syllogism  in  p.  197, — Festino, — it  is  plainly  the  second 
or  minor  against  which  Ridley  is  here  arguing.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  199 

spoken."     'The  children  of  the  bridegroom  cannot  mourn  so  i.  Thereat 

••11  i  •  presence 

loii£  as  the  bridegroom  is  With  them :  but  now  is  the  time  against  the 

Scripture. 

of  mourning.1     '  But  I  will  see  you  again,  and  your  hearts  Matt.  ix. 
shall  rejoice.'     '  I  will  come  again  and  take  you  to  myself.1  John  .\i\. 
4  If  they  shall  say  unto  you,  Behold,  here  is  Christ,  or  there  Matt.  xxiv. 
is  Christ,  believe  them  not :  for  wheresoever  the  dead  carcass 
is,  thither  the  eagles  will  resort.' 

"  It  varieth  from  the  articles  of  the  faith :   '  He  ascended  ^Sldes 
into   heaven,   and  sitteth    on    the   right    hand    of   God    the of  the  faitlu 
Father,  from  whence  (and  not  from  any  other  place,  saith  St 
Augustine),   he  shall   come   to  judge   both    the    quick    and 
the  dead.' 

"It   destroyeth  and  taketh  away  the   institution  of  the  •'*•  « de- 

J  J  stroyeth  the 

Lord  s  supper,  which  was  commanded  only  to  be  used  and  institution 

*  of  the  Lord's 

continued  until  the  Lord  himself  should  come.  If,  therefore,  supper. 
he  be  now  really  present  in  the  body  of  his  flesh,  then  must 
the  supper  cease  :  for  a  remembrance  is  not  of  a  thing  present, 
but  of  a  thing  past  and  absent.  And  there  is  a  difference  be 
tween  remembrance  and  presence,  and,  as  one  of  the  fathers 
saith,  'A  figure  is  in  vain  where  the  thing  figured  is  present.' 

"  It  maketh  precious  things  common  to  profane  and  un-  fi;nIetth?r&(. 
godly  persons,  and  constraineth  men  to  confess  many  absur 
dities.  For  it  affirmetli,  that  whoremongers  and  murderers, 
yea,  and  (as  some  of  them  hold  opinion)  the  wicked  and 
faithless,  mice,  rats,  and  dogs  also,  may  receive  the  very  real 
and  corporal  body  of  the  Lord,  wherein  the  fulness  of  the 
Spirit  of  light  and  grace  dwelleth :  contrary  to  the  manifest 
words  of  Christ  in  six  places  and  sentences  of  John  vi. 

"  It  confirmeth  also  and  maintaineth  that  beastly  kind  of 
cruelty  of  the  'Anthropophagi,'  that  is,  the  devourers  of  man's  The"An- 
fiesh :  for  it  is  a  more  cruel  thinof  to  devour  a  quick  man,  pha?i"  are 

'a  kind  of 

than  to  slav  him.  brutish 

*  people  that 

Pie :—  "  He  requireth  time  to  speak  blasphemies.  Leave 
your  blasphemies." 

Ridley: — "  I  had  little  thought  to  have  had  such  reproach 
ful  words  at  your  hands2." 

Weston: — "All  is  quiet.  Go  to  your  arguments,  master 
doctor." 

[2  See  Ridley's  account  of  this  tumultuous  behaviour,  among  the 
documents  before  the  letters. 


200  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

Ridley : — "  I  have  not  many  more  things  to  say." 
Weston : — "  You  utter  blasphemies  with  a  most  impudent 
face :  leave  off,  I  say,  and  get  you  to  the  argument." 
AH  the  rest         Ridley : — "  It  forceth  men  to  maintain  many  monstrous 

that  follow-  J  ^  J 

reacTbe1101  mn'ac^es'  W1^hout  any  necessity  and  authority  of  God's  word. 
CroiSoecutor  -^or  a^  *n6  commg  °f  tms  presence  of  the  body  and  flesh  of 
iSstetothe  ^n"s*5  ^neJ  thrust  away  the  substance  of  bread,  and  affirm 
arguments,  that  the  accidents  remain  without  any  subject;  and,  in  the 
taineth  stead  thereof,  they  place  Christ's  body  without  his  qualities  and 

monstrous  •*   L  » 

miracles      the  true  manner  of  a  body.     And  if  the  sacrament  be  re- 

•without  ne-  * 

ressity.  served  so  long  until  it  mould,  and  worms  breed,  some  say 
that  the  substance  of  bread  miraculously  returneth  again,  and 
some  deny  it.  Other  some  affirm,  the  real  body  of  Christ  goeth 
down  into  the  stomach  of  the  receivers,  and  doth  there  abide 
so  long  only  as  they  shall  continue  to  be  good.  But  another 
sort  hold,  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  carried  into  heaven,  so 
soon  as  the  forms  of  bread  be  bruised  with  the  teeth.  0  works 
of  miracles  !  Truly,  and  most  truly,  I  see  that  fulfilled  in  these 

2  Thess.  ii.  men,  whereof  St  Paul  prophesied,  '  Because  they  have  not 
received  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be  saved,  God 
shall  send  them  strong  delusions,  that  they  should  believe 

By  this  dc-  lies,  and  be  all  damned  which  have  not  believed  the  truth.'* 

vice  of  con- 

eomitance,    This  gross  presence  hath  brought  forth  that  fond  phantasy  of 

the  papists  °  r  .  °  .  *  *    . 

imagine  as   concomitance,  whereby  is  broken  at  this  day  and  abrogated 

much  to  be  J 

received  im- the  commandment  of  the  Lord  for   the   distributing  of  the 

tier  one  kind 

as  both.       Lord's  cup  to  the  laity. 

<-,.  it  giveth         "  It  giveth  occasion  to  heretics  to  maintain  and  defend 
heretic*,      their  errors ;  as  to  Marcion,  which  said  that  Christ  had  but 
a  phantastical  body;   and  to  Eutyches,  which  wickedly  con 
founded  the  two  natures  in  Christ. 

ethth^slv"  "  Finally,  it  falsifieth  the  sayings  of  the  godly  fathers 
ings  of  the  an(J  the  catholic  faith  of  the  church,  which  Vigilius,  a  martyr 

old  doctors.  * 

and  grave  writer,  saith,  was  taught  of  the  apostles,  confirmed 
with  the  blood  of  martyrs,  and  was  continually  maintained 
by  the  faithful  until  his  time.  By  the  sayings  of  the  fathers, 
I  mean  of  Justin,  Iremeus,  Tertullian,  Origen,  Eusebius 
Emissenus1,  Athanasius,  Cyril,  Epiphanius,  Jerome,  Chrysos- 

E1  Eusebius,  Bp.  of  Emesa  or  Emissa,  in  Syria,  and  here  called 
Emissenus,  to  distinguish  him  from  Eusebius  the  historian :  it  is 
however  probable,  that  the  writer  here  referred  to  is  Eusebius  Philo- 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  201 

torn,  Augustine,  Vigilitis,  Fulgentius,  Bertram,  and  other  most 
ancient  fathers.  All  those  places,  as  I  am  sure  I  have  read 
making  for  my  purpose,  so  am  I  well  assured  that  I  could 
shew  the  same,  if  I  might  have  the  use  of  mine  own  books; 
which  I  will  take  on  me  to  do,  even  upon  the  peril  of  my 
life,  and  loss  of  all  that  I  may  lose  in  this  world. 

"But  now,  my  brethren,  think  not,  because   I   disallow T1>e feith 

'        •  ....  apd  confes- 

that  presence  which  the  first  proposition  maintaineth  (as  af!??,0*- 
presence  which  I  take  to  be  forged,  phantastical,  and,  beside 
the  authority  of  God's  word,  perniciously  brought  into  the 
church  by  the  Eomanists),  that  I  therefore  go  about  to  take 
away  the  true  presence  of  Christ's  body  in  his  supper  rightly 
and  duly  ministered,  which  is  grounded  upon  the  word  of  God, 
and  made  more  plain  by  the  commentaries  of  the  faithful 
lathers.  They  that  think  so  of  me,  the  Lord  knoweth  how  far 
they  are  deceived.  And  to  make  the  same  evident  unto  you, 
I  will  in  few  words  declare,  what  true  presence  of  Christ's 
body  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper  I  hold  and 
affirm,  with  the  word  of  God  and  the  ancient  fathers. 

"I  say  and  confess  with  the  evangelist  Luke,  and  withstPaui. 
the  Apostle  Paul,  that  the  bread  on  the  which  thanks  are 
given,  is  the  body  of  Christ  in  the  remembrance  of  him  and 
his  death,  to  be  set  forth  perpetually  of  the   faithful  until 
his  coming. 

"  I  say  and  confess,  the  bread  which  we  break  to  be  the 
communion  and  partaking  of  Christ's  body,  with  the  ancient 
and  the  faithful  fathers. 

"  I  say  and  believe,  that  there  is  not  only  a  signification  Cyprian, 
of  Christ's  body  set  forth  by  the  sacrament,  but  also  that 
therewith  is  given  to   the  godly  and  faithful  the  grace  of 
Christ's  body,  that  is,  the  food  of  life  and  immortality.     And 
this  I  hold  with  Cyprian. 

"  I  say  also  with  St  Augustine,  that  we  eat  life  and  we  Augustine. 
drink  life ;  with  Emissene,  that  we  feel  the  Lord  to  be  present  Emisseue. 
in  grace ;    with  Athanasius,  that  we  receive   celestial  food,  Athanasius. 
which  cometh  from  above;  the  property  of  natural  commu 
nion,  with  Hilary ;  the  nature  of  flesh,  and  benediction  which  Hilary. 

sophus,  of  whom  Hoffman  says,  "  Ex  generosis  Edessae  in  Mesopotamia 
parentibus  natus  est.  Extant  homilue  ejus  lat.  8,  Par.  A.D.  1554. 
Op.  3575.  Vixit  tempore  Constantii  Imp.  sub  quo  mortims  est,  et 
Antiochia  sepultus  est,  ideoque  saltern  ante  A.D.  361  vivere  desiit."  ED.] 


202 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 


Basil. 


Jerome. 

Chrysos- 
tom,  &c. 


Bertram. 


cyrii.  giveth  life,  in  bread  and  wine,  with  Cyril ;  and  with  the  same 
Cyril,  the  virtue  of  the  very  flesh  of  Christ,  life  and  grace 
of  his  body,  the  property  of  the  only  begotten,  that  is  to  say, 
life  ;  as  he  himself  in  plain  words  expoundeth  it. 

"  I  confess  also  with  Basil,  that  we  receive  the  mystical 
advent  and  coming  of  Christ,  grace  and  the  virtue  of  his  very 
Ambrose,     nature ;   the  sacrament  of  his  very  flesh,  with  Ambrose ;  the 
Epiphanius.  body  by  grace,  with  Epiphanius ;  spiritual  flesh,  but  not  that 
which  was  crucified,  with  Jerome ;  grace  flowing  into  a  sacri 
fice,  and  the  grace   of  the   Spirit,  with  Chrysostom;    grace 
and   invisible   verity,  grace   and  society  of  the   members   of 
Christ's  body,  with  Augustine. 

"  Finally,  with  Bertram  (who  was  the  last  of  all  these) 
I  confess  that  Christ's  body  is  in  the  sacrament  in  this  respect; 
namely,  as  he  writeth,  because  there  is  in  it  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  that  is,  the  power  of  the  word  of  God,  which  not 
only  feedeth  the  soul,  but  also  cleanseth  it.  Out  of  these 
I  suppose  it  may  clearly  appear  unto  all  men,  how  far  we  are 
from  that  opinion,  whereof  some  go  about  falsely  to  slander 
us  to  the  world,  saying,  we  teach  that  the  godly  and  faithful 
should  receive  nothing  else  at  the  Lord's  table,  but  a  figure 
of  the  body  of  Christ1." 

The  Second  Proposition. 

After  the  consecration  there  remaineth  no  substance  of 
bread  and  wine,  neither  any  other  substance,  than  the  sub 
stance  of  God  and  man. 

The  Answer  of  Dr  Ridley. 

Ridley : — "  The  second  conclusion  is  manifestly  false, 
directly  against  the  word  of  God,  the  nature  of  the  sacrament, 
and  the  most  evident  testimonies  of  the  godly  fathers ;  and 
it  is  the  rotten  foundation  of  the  other  two  conclusions  pro 
pounded  by  you,  both  of  the  first  and  of  the  third.  I  will 
not  therefore  now  tarry  upon  any  further  explication  of  this 
answer,  being  contented  with  that  which  is  already  added 
afore  to  the  answer  of  the  first  proposition." 

[*  The  greater  part,  if  not  the  whole,  of  the  authors  here  mentioned, 
are  cited  by  Ridley  in  former  works — and  as  they  are  here  only  referred 
to  generally,  it  has  not  been  thought  necessary  to  cite  passages  from 
them.  ED.] 


Transub- 

stantiation 

denied. 


DISPUTATION'    AT    OXFORD.  203 

The  First  Argument  for  the  confirmation  of  this  Answer. 

"It  is  very  plain  by  the  word  of  God,  that  Christ  did 
give  bread  unto  his  disciples,  and  called  it  his  body. 

"But  the  substance  of  bread  is  another  manner  of 
substance  than  is  the  substance  of  Christ's  body,  God  and 
man: 

"  Therefore,  the  conclusion  is  false. 

"  The  second  part  of  mine  argument  is  plain,  and  the 
first  is  proved  thus: 

The  Second  Argument. 

Da-  "  That  which  Christ  did  take,  on  the  which  he  gave 
thanks,  and  the  which  he  brake,  he  gave  to  his 
disciples,  and  called  it  his  body. 

fi-  "But  he  took  bread,  gave  thanks  on  bread,  and  brake 
bread : 

si.       "Ergo,  The  first  part  is  true.     And  it   is   confirmed 
with  the  authorities  of  the  fathers,  Irenseus,  Tertul- 
lian,    Origen,   Cyprian,  Epiphanius,  Jerome,  Augus 
tine,   Theodoret,   Cyril,   llabanus,  and   Bede :    whose 
places  I  will  take  upon  me  to  shew  most  manifest 
in  this  behalf,   if  I   may  be    suffered  to   have   my 
books,  as  my  request  is. 
"  Bread  is  the  body  of  Christ : 
"  Ergo,  It  is  bread." 
A  tertio  adjacente  ad  secundum  adiacens  cum  verbi  sub-  The  rule  of 

lognc  is  this  : 

stantivi  pura  copula.  "Aproposi- 

1  tione  de  ter 

tio  adja- 

The  Third  Argument. 


de  secundo 

Ba-     l  As  the  bread  of  the  Lord's  table  is  Christ's  natural 


body,  so  is  it  his  mystical  body. 
ro-      "  But  it  is  not  Christ's  mystical  body  by  transubstanti- 

ation  :  firmavit," 

&r. 

co.       "  Ergo,  It  is  not  his  natural  body  by  transubstantiation. 

"The  second  part  of  my  argument  is  plain,  and  the  first  The  major 
is  proved  thus  :    As  Christ,  who  is  the  verity,  spake  of  the  PF 
bread,  '  This  is  my  body  which  shall  be  betrayed  for  you,' 
speaking  there  of  his  natural  body  :  even  so  Paul,  moved  with 
the  same  Spirit  of  truth,  said,   '  We,  though  we  be  many,  i  cor.  x. 


204  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

yet  are  we  all  one  bread  and  one  body,  which  be  partakers 
of  one  bread."' 

The  Fourth  Argument. 

The  argu-          "  We  may  no  more  believe  bread  to  be  transubstantiate 
eth.  into  the  body  of  Christ,  than  the  wine  into  his  blood. 

u  But  the  wine  is  not  transubstantiate  into  his  blood : 
"Adestruc-        "  Ergo,  Neither  is  that  bread,  therefore,  transubstantiate 

tioneante-     .  . 

cedentis,ad  mtO   hlS    body. 
destructio- 

nemconse-          ''The  first  part  of  this  argument  is  manifest;    and  the 

second  part  is  proved  out  of  the  authority  of  God's  word,  in 

Matt.xxvi.  Matthew  and  Mark,  'I  will  not  drink  of  the  fruit  of  the 

]VInrk  \iv 

vine,1  &c.     Now  the  fruit  of  the  vine  was  wine,  which  Christ 

drank  and  gave  to  his  disciples  to  drink.     With  this  sentence 

chrysos-      agreeth  plainly  the   place  of  Chrysostom   on  the   twentieth 

Cyprian,      chapter  of  Matthew1:  as  Cyprian2  doth  also,  affirming  that 

there  is  no  blood,  if  wine  be  not  in  the  cup." 

The  Fifth  Argument. 

Ba-     "  The  words  of  Christ  spoken  upon  the  cup  and  upon 
the  bread  have  like  effect  and  working. 

ro-      "  But  the  words  spoken  upon  the  cup  have  not  virtue 

to  transubstantiate: 
Thisarsu-    co.      "  Ergo,  It  followeth,  that  the  words  spoken  upon  the 

merit  hold-  i          j    i  i        •  j. 

eth  after  the  bread  have  no  such  virtue. 

dki  the  other  "  The  second  part  of  the  argument  is  proved ;  because  they 
should  then  transubstantiate  the  cup,  or  that  which  is  in  the 
cup,  into  the  new  testament.  But  neither  of  these  things 
can  be  done,  and  very  absurd  it  is  to  confess  the  same." 

The  Sixth  Argument. 

Da-    "  The  circumstances  of  the  Scripture,  the  analogy  and 
proportion    of   the    sacraments,    and    the    testimony 

\_l  The  passage  probably  referred  to  in  Chrysostom  is  in  the  82 
Homily  on  Matth.  26th  chap.,  tfywrcAos  Be  olvov  oJ^  vd<ap  ycwa. 
S.  Chrysost.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1727,  torn.  vn.  p.  784.  ED.] 

Qa  Nam  cum  dicat  Christus,  Ego  sum  vitis  vera,  sanguis  Christ!  non 
aqua  est  utique,  sed  vinum,  nee  potest  videri  sanguis  ejus,  quo  redempti 
et  vivificati  sumus,  esse  in  calice,  quando  vinum  dcsit  calici  quo  Christi 
sanguis  ostenditur.  S.  Cypriani  Epist.  LXIII.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1726, 
p.  104.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  205 

of  the  faithful  fathers,  ought  to  rule  us  in  taking 
the  meaning  of  the  holy  Scripture  touching  the 
sacrament. 

ti-  "  But  the  words  of  the  Lord's  supper,  the  circumstances 
of  the  Scripture,  the  analogy  of  the  sacraments, 
and  the  sayings  of  the  fathers,  do  most  effectually 
and  plainly  prove  a  figurative  speech  in  the  words 
of  the  Lord's  supper: 
si.  "  Ergo,  A  figurative  sense  and  meaning  is  specially  to 

be  received  in  these  words,  '  This  is  my  body/ 
"  The  circumstances  of  the  Scripture :  '  Do  this  in  the 
remembrance  of  me/  '  As  oft  as  ye  shall  eat  of  this  bread, 
and  drink  of  this  cup,  ye  shall  shew  forth  the  Lord's  death.' 
4  Let  a  man  prove  himself,  and  so  eat  of  this  bread,  and 
drink  of  this  cup.'  '  They  came  together  to  break  bread ;  and 
they  continued  in  breaking  of  bread.'  '  The  bread  which  we 
break,'  &c.  '  For  we,  being  many,  are  all  one  bread  and  one 
body,'  &c. 

"  The  analogy  of  the  sacraments  is  necessary :  for  if  the 
sacraments  had  not  some  similitude  or  likeness  of  the  things 
whereof  they  be  sacraments,  they  could  in  no  wise  be  sacra 
ments.  And  this  similitude  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
supper  is  taken  three  manner  of  ways : 

"  The  first  consisteth  in  nourishing ;  as  ye  shall  read  in 
Kabanus,  Cyprian,  Augustine,  Irenams,  and,  most  plainly, 
in  Isidore  out  of  Bertram. 

"  The  second  is  the  uniting  and  joining  of  many  into  one, 
as  Cyprian  teacheth. 

"  The  third  is  a  similitude  of  unlike  things,  where,  like 
as  the  bread  is  turned  into  one  body,  so  we  by  the  right 
use  of  this  sacrament  are  turned  through  faith  into  the  body 
of  Christ. 

"  The  sayings  of  the  fathers  declare  it  to  be  a  figurative 
speech,  as  it  appeareth  in  Origen,  Tertullian,  Chrysostom, 
Augustine,  Ambrose,  Basil,  Gregory  Nazianzen,  Hilary,  and, 
most  plainly  of  all,  in  Bertram.  Moreover,  the  sayings  and 
places  of  all  the  fathers,  whose  names  1  have  before  recited 
against  the  assertion  of  the  first  proposition,  do  quite  over 
throw  transubstantiation :  but  of  all  other  most  evidently  and 
plainly,  Irenseus,  Origen,  Cyprian,  .Chrysostom  (to  Cresarius 


206  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

the  monk),  Augustine  (against  Adamantus),  Gelasius,  Cyril, 
Epiphanius,  Chrysostom  again  on  Matthew  xx.,  Rabanus, 
Damascene1,  and  Bertram. 

"Here,   right   worshipful  master  prolocutor  and  ye  the 
Bertram.     rest  of  fa  commissioners,  it  may  please  you  to  understand, 
that  I  do  not  lean  to  these  things  only,  which  I  have  written 
in  my  former  answers  and  confirmations,  but  that  I  have  also, 
for  the  proof  of  that  I  have  spoken,  whatsoever  Bertram,  a 
man  learned,  of  sound  and  upright  judgment,  and  ever  counted 
a  catholic  for  these  seven  hundred  years  until  this  our  age, 
hath  written.     His  treatise  whosoever  shall  read  and  weigh, 
considering  the  time  of  the  writer,  his  learning,  godliness  of 
life,  the  allegations  of  the  ancient  fathers,  and  his  manifold 
and  most  grounded  arguments,  I  cannot  (doubtless)  but  much 
marvel,  if  he  have  any  fear  of  God  at  all,  how  he  can,  with 
good  conscience,  speak   against  him  in  this  matter   of  the 
Ridiiey  first  sacrament.     This  Bertram  was  the  first  that  pulled  me  by  the 
the  know-    ear   an(j  that  first  brought  me  from  the  common  error  of  the 

ledge  ot  the 

^om^sn  church,  and  caused  me  to  search  more  diligently  and 
exactly  both  the  Scriptures  and  the  writings  of  the  old  ecclesias 
tical  fathers  in  this  matter.  And  this  I  protest  before  the  face 
of  God,  who  knoweth  I  lie  not  in  the  things  I  now  speak." 

The  Third  Proposition. 

In  the  mass  is  the  lively  sacrifice  of  the  church,  pro- 
pitiable  and  available  for  the  sins  as  well  of  quick  as  of  the 
dead. 

The  Answer  of  Dr  Ridley. 

Jtidley : — "  I  answer  to  this  third  proposition  as  I  did 
to  the  first :  and  moreover  I  say,  that  being  taken  in  such 
sense  as  the  words  seem  to  import,  it  is  not  only  erroneous, 
but  withal  so  much  to  the  derogation  and  defacing  of  the 
death  and  passion  of  Christ,  that  I  judge  it  may  and  ought 
most  worthily  to  be  counted  wicked  and  blasphemous  against 
the  most  precious  blood  of  our  Saviour  Christ." 

jj1  Damascenus,  Johannes,  Pater  Ecclesiae  et  Historicus,  de  quo  vide 
Voss.  de  Hist.  Gr.  Floruit  sub  Leone  Isaurico.  Patriam  Damascum 
habuit,  vixitque,  ut  Petrus  Martyr  contra  Gardinerum  probat,  circa 
A.D.  740.  Hoffman.  Lexicon.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION     AT    OXFOKD.  207 


The  Explication. 

"  Concerning  the  Romish  mass  which  is  used  at  this  day, 
or  the  lively  sacrifice  thereof,  propitiatory  and  available  for  proposition. 
the  sins  of  the  quick  and  the  dead,  the  holy  Scripture  hath 
not  so  much  as  one  syllable. 

"  There  is  ambiguity  also  in  the  name  of  mass :  what  it 
signih'eth,  and  whether  at  this  day  there  be  any  such  indeed, 
as  the  ancient  fathers  used ;  seeing  that  now  there  be  neither 
catechists  nor  '  poenitentes'  to  be  sent  away.  tivlSlrSi 

"  Again,  touching  these  words,  l  the  lively  sacrifice  of  the  Instructed 
church,'  there  is  a  doubt  whether  they  are  to  be  understood  an^the^m- 
figuratively  and  sacramentally,  for  the  sacrament  of  the  lively  werehpyut 
sacrifice  (after  which  sort  we  deny  it  not  to  be  in  the  Lord's  fKommu- 
supper),  or  properly  and  without  any  figure :  after  the  which  ni 
manner  there  was  but  one  only  sacrifice,  and  that  once  offered, 
namely,  upon  the  altar  of  the  cross. 

"  Moreover,  in  these  words  'as  well  as,1  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  they  be  spoken  in  mockage;  as  men  are  wont  to 
say  in  sport,  of  a  foolish  and  ignorant  person,  that  he  is  apt 
as  well  in  conditions  as  in  knowledge — being  apt  indeed  in 
neither  of  them  both. 

"  There  is  also  a  doubt  in  the  word  c  propitiable,'  whether 
it  signify  here,  that  which  taketh  away  sin,  or  that  which 
may  be  made  available2  for  the  taking  away  of  sin;  that  is 
to  say,  whether  it  is  to  be  taken  in  the  active  or  in  the 
passive  signification. 

"Now  the  falseness  of  the  proposition,  after  the  meaning  The  false- 
of  the  schoolmen  and  the  Romish  church,  and  impiety  in  third  propo- 

i_  i'ii  i  •  •       i  •  i  sition  re- 

that  sense  which  the  words  seem  to  import,  is  this :  that  they,  proved, 
leaning  to   the   foundation   of  their   fond  transubstantiation, 
would  make  the  quick  and  lively  body  of  Christ,  flesh,  united 
and  knit  to  the  Divinity,  to  lie  hid  under  the  accidents  and 
outward  shews  of  bread  and  wine ;  which  is  very  false,  as  I 

[2  "  Made  available."  The  original  in  Latin  is  an  quod  potest  reddi 
propitlum  ;  and  "  therefore/'  says  Dr  Wordsworth,  "  the  translation  does 
not  reach  the  sense  of  the  original.  The  meaning  of  the  clause  is; 
'  Whether  it  signify  here,  that  which  propitiates,  or  that  which  may 
be  propitiated,  that  is  to  say,  whether  it  is  to  be  taken  in  the  active, 
or  in  the  passive  signification.'"  ED.] 


208  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

have  said  afore :  and  they,  building  upon  this  foundation, 
do  hold  that  the  same  body  is  offered  unto  God  by  the  priest 
in  his  daily  massings,  to  put  away  the  sins  of  the  quick  and 
the  dead;  whereas  by  the  Apostle  to  the  Hebrews  it  is 
But  one  sa-  evident,  that  there  is  but  one  oblation,  and  one  true  and  lively 

orifice  in  the  * 

Scripture,  sacrifice  of  the  church  offered  upon  the  altar  of  the  cross, 
which  was,  is,  and  shall  be  for  ever  the  propitiation  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world :  and  where  there  is  remission 
of  the  same,  there  is  (saith  the  Apostle)  no  more  offering 
for  sin." 

Arguments  confirming  Ms  Answer. 

Heb.v.  (Je-  "No  sacrifice  ought  to  be  done,  but  where  the  priest 
is  meet  to  offer  the  same. 

la-  "  All  other  priests  be  unmeet  to  offer  sacrifice  propitia 
tory  for  sin,  save  only  Christ: 

rent.  "  Ergo,  No  other  priests  ought  to  sacrifice  for  sin,  but 
Christ  alone. 

"  The  second  part  of  my  argument  is  thus  proved. 

Fe-     "  No  honour  in  God's  church  ought  to  be  taken  where- 

unto  a  man  is  not  called,  as  Aaron. 
ri-      "It  is  a  great  honour  in  God's  church  to  sacrifice  for 

sin: 
son.     "  Ergo,  No  man  ought  to  sacrifice  for  sin,  but  only  they 

which  are  called. 

"But  only  Christ  is  called  to  that  honour: 

"  Ergo,  No  other  priest  but  Christ  ought  to  sacrifice  for 

sin.     That   no  man  is  called  to  this  degree  of  honour  but 

Christ  alone,  it  is  evident ;  for  there  are  but  two  only  orders 

of  priesthood  allowed  in  the  word  of  God,  namely,  the  order 

Heb.  vii.      of  Aaron,  and  the  order  of  Melchizedek.     But  now  the  order 

of  Aaron  is  come  to  an  end,  by  reason  that  it  was  unprofitable 

and  weak ;  and  of  the  order  of  Melchizedek  there  is  but  one 

priest  alone,  even  Christ  the  Lord,  who  hath  a  priesthood 

that  cannot  pass  to  any  other." 

Another  Argument. 

Sa-  "That  thing  is  in  vain,  and  to  no  effect,  where  no 
necessity  is  wherefore  it  is  done. 


DISPUTATION"    AT    OXFORD.  209 

ro-  "To  offer  up  any  more  sacrifice  propitiatory  for  the 
quick  and  the  dead  there  is  no  necessity,  for 
Christ  our  Saviour  did  that  fully  and  perfectly 
once  for  all : 

co.       "Ergo,  To  do  the  same  in  the  mass  it  is  in  vain." 

Another  Argument. 

Fe-     "  After  that  eternal  redemption  is  found  and  obtained. 

there  needeth  no  more  daily  offering  for  the  same.       Heb.  ix. 
ri-       "But  Christ  coming  an  high  bishop,  &c.,  found  and 

obtained  for  us  eternal  redemption: 
o,        "  Ergo,  There  needeth  now  no  more  daily  oblation  for 

.   i  i    j  i         i       i  11  Ab  una 

the  sins  of  the  quick  and  the  dead.  causa  veri- 

tatis  ad  prae- 

positionem 

habentem 

Another  Argument.  iiiamcau- 

sam  valet 
consequeii- 

Ca-     "All  remission   of  sins   cometh   only   by  shedding  oftia. 

blood. 

mes-    "  In  the  mass  there  is  no  shedding  of  blood : 
tres.    "  Ergo,  In  the  mass  there  is  no  remission  of  sins  :  and 

so  it  followeth  also,  that  there  is  no   propitiatory 

sacrifice."11 

Another  Argument. 

"In  the  mass  the  passion  of  Christ  is  not  in  verity,  but 
in  a  mystery  representing  the  same:  yea,  even  there  where 
the  Lord's  supper  is  duly  ministered. 

"But  where  Christ  suffereth  not,  there  is  he  not  offered 
in  verity :    for  the  Apostle  saith,  '  Not  that  he  might  offer  Heb.  ix. 
lip  himself  oftentimes ;   for  then  must  he  have  suffered  often 
times  since  the  beginning  of  the  world.     Now,  where  Christ 
is  not  offered,  there  is  no  propitiatory  sacrifice : 

"  Ergo,  In  the  mass  there  is  no  propitiatory  sacrifice : 
"  For  Christ  appeared  once,  in  the  latter  end  of  the  world, 
to  put  sin  to  flight  by  the  offering  up  of  himself.  And  as 
it  is  appointed  to  all  men  that  they  shall  once  die,  and  then 
cometh  the  judgment :  even  so  Christ  was  once  offered  to 
take  away  the  sins  of  many ;  and  unto  them  that  look  for 
him  shall  he  appear  again  without  sin-  unto  salvation/1 

14 
[RIDLEY.] 


210  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

Another  Argument. 

Da-  "  Where  there  is  any  sacrifice  that  can  make  the  comers 
thereunto  perfect,  there  ought  men  to  cease  from 
offering  any  more  expiatory  and  propitiatory  sacri-. 
fices. 

ri-  "  But  in  the  new  testament  there  is  one  only  sacrifice 
now  already  long  since  offered,  which  is  able  to 
make  the  comers  thereto  perfect  for  ever: 

«.  "Ergo,  In  the  new  testament  they  ought  to  cease  from 
offering  any  more  propitiatory  sacrifice." 

(Sentences  of  the  Scripture,  alleged  by  Ridley,  tending  to 
the  saihe  end  and  purpose;  out  of  which  also  may  be 
gathered  other  manifest  Arguments  for  more  confirmation 
thereof.) 

Heb.x.  "  '  By  the  which  will  (saith  the  Apostle)  we  are  sanctified, 

by  the  offering  up  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all.' 
And  in  the  same  place, '  But  this  man,  after  that  he  had  offered 
one  sacrifice  for  sin,  sitteth  for  ever  at  the  right  hand  of  God,"* 
etc.  '  For  with  one  offering  hath  he  made  perfect  for  ever 
them  that  are  sanctified;'  and,  'By  himself  hath  he  purged 
our  sins.' 

"  I  beseech  you  to  mark  these  words  'by  himself,''  the 
which,  well  weighed,  will  without  doubt  cease  all  controversy. 
The  Apostle  plainly  denieth  any  other  sacrifice  to  remain  for 
hinij  that  treadeth  under  his  feet  the  blood  of  the  testament, 
by  the  which  he  was  made  holy.  Christ  will  not  be  crucified 
again,  he  will  not  his  death  to  be  had  in  derision." 

COL  i.  "  '  He  hath  reconciled  us  in  the  body  of  his  flesh.' 

"  Mark,  I  beseech  you ;  he  saith  not,  in  the  mystery  of 
his  body,  but  in  the  body  of  his  flesh." 

Uohnii.  " '  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father, 

Jesus  Christ  the  righteous,  and  he  is  the  propitiation  for 
our  sins ;  not  for  ours  only,  but  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world."1 

The  popish         "  I  know  that  all  these  places  of  the  Scripture  are  avoided 

distinction  „  .  ,.     . 

between      by  two  manner  of  subtle  shifts :  the  one  is,  by  the  distinction 

bloody  and 

unbloody     of  the  bloody  and  unbloody  sacrifice,  as  though  our  unbloody 

sacrifice,  '  * 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  211 

sacrifice  of  the  church  were  any  other  than  the  sacrifice  of 

praise  and  thanksgiving,  than  a  commemoration,  a  shewing- 

forth  and  a  sacramental  representation  of  that  one  only  bloody 

sacrifice,  offered  up  once  for  alL    The  other  is,  by  depraving 

and  wresting  the  sayings  of  the  ancient  fathers  unto  such  a 

strange  kind  of  sense  as  the  fathers  themselves  indeed  never 

meant.     For  what  the  meaning  of  the  fathers  was,  it  is  evi 

by  that  which  St  Augustine  writeth  in  his  epistle  to  Boniface, 

and  in  his  book  against  Faustus  the  Manichee,  besides  many  Jhe^JS  doc 

other  places  ;    likewise  by  Eusebius  the  Emissene,  Cyprian,  ^rested?17 

Chrysostom,  Fulgentius,  Bertram,  and  others,  who  do  wholly 

concord  and  agree  together  in  this  unity  in  the  Lord  ;   that 

the  redemption,  once  made  in  verity  for  the  salvation  of  man, 

continueth  in  full  effect  for  ever,  and  worketh  without  ceasing 

unto  the  end  of  the  world  ;  that  the  sacrifice  once  offered  can 

not  be  consumed;    that  the  Lord's  death  and  passion  is  as 

effectual,  the  virtue  of  that  blood  once  shed  as  fresh  at  this 

day  for  the  washing  away  of  sins,  as  it  was  even  the  same 

day  that  it  flowed  out  of  the  blessed  side  of  our  Saviour  ;  The  whole 

•  7  substance 

and  finally,  that  the  whole  substance  of  our  sacrifice,  which  is  of  our  sacri 

fice,  wherein 


frequented  of  the  church  in  the  Lord's  supper,  consisteth  in 
prayers,  praise,  and  giving  of  thanks,  and  in  remembering  and 
shewing  forth  of  that  sacrifice  once  offered  upon  the  altar  of 
the  cross  ;  that  the  same  might  continually  be  had  in  reverence 
by  mystery,  which  once  only,  and  no  more,  was  offered  for 
the  price  of  our  redemption. 

"These  are  the  things,  right  worshipful  master  prolocutor,  Ridley  ap- 
and  ye  the  rest  of  the  commissioners,  which  I  could  presently  fromthe 
prepare  to  the  answering  of  your  three  aforesaid  propositions,  tSce  of  his 
being  destitute  of  all  help  in  this  shortness  of  time,  sudden  to  some 
warning,  and  want  of  books  :   wherefore  I  appeal  to  my  first  period  com- 
protestation,  most  humbly  desiring  the  help  of  the  same  (as  judge! 
much  as  may  be)  to  be  granted  unto  me.     And  because  ye 
have   lately  given   most   unjust   and   cruel   sentence   against 
me,   I  do  here  appeal  (so  far  forth  as  I  may)  to  a  more 
indifferent  and   just  censure   and   judgment   of  some   other 
superior,   competent,   and   lawful  judge,    and   that   according 
to  the  approved  state  of  the  church  of  England.     Howbeit 
I  confess,  that  I  am  ignorant  what  that  is,  at  this  present, 
through  the  trouble  and  alteration  of  the  state  of  the  realm, 


212 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 


God. 


£d!eoffor  But  if  this  appeal  may  not  be  granted  to  me  upon  earth, 
then  do  I  fly  (even  as  to  my  only  refuge  and  alone  haven 
of  health)  to  the  sentence  of  the  eternal  Judge,  that  is,  of 
the  almighty  God;  to  whose  most  merciful  justice  towards 
us,  and  most  just  mercifulness,  I  do  wholly  commit  myself 
and  all  my  cause,  nothing  at  all  despairing  of  the  defence 
of  mine  Advocate  and  alone  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ;  to  horn, 
with  the  everlasting  Father,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Sancti- 
fier  of  us  all,  be  now  and  for  ever  all  honour  and  glory. 
Amen.'" 

Albeit  this  learned  bishop  was  not  suffered  to  read  all 
that  is  above  prefixed  before  the  disputations,  yet  because  he 
had  it  then  ready,  and  offered  it  up  to  the  prolocutor  after 
the  disputations  and  sentence  pronounced,  I  thought  here 
the  place  not  unmeet  to  annex  the  same  together  with  the 
rest.  Now  let  us  hear  the  arguments  and  answers  between 
Dr  Smith  and  him1. 


Argument. 


Answer. 
The  verity 
of  Ridley's 
answer 
touchingthe 
real  being 
of  Christ  in 
earth  to  be 
restrained 
by  his  as- 


Dr  Smith  leginneth  to  oppose. 

Smith : — "  You  have  occasioned  me  to  go  otherwise  to 
work  with  you,  than  I  had  thought  to  have  done.  Me  seemed 
you  did,  in  your  supposition,  abuse  the  testimonies  of  Scrip 
ture  concerning  the  ascension  of  Christ,  to  take  away  his 
presence  in  the  sacrament ;  as  though  this  were  a  strong 
argument  to  enforce  your  matter  withal : 

"  Christ  did  ascend  into  heaven :  ergo,  he  is  not  in  the 
sacrament. 

"Now  therefore  I  will  go  about  to  disprove  this  reason 
of  yours. 

"  Christ's  ascension  is  no  let  to  his  real  presence  in  the 
sacrament:  ergo,  you  are  deceived,  whereas  you  do  ground 
yourself  upon  those  places." 

Eidley : — "You  import  as  though  I  had  made  a  strong 
argument  by  Christ's  going  up  into  heaven.  But  howsoever 
mine  argument  is  made,  you  collect  it  not  rightly.  For  it 
doth  not  only  stay  upon  his  ascension,  but  also  upon  his 
ascension  and  his  abiding  there  also." 

[x  This  passage  is  Fox's:  for  the  place  and  manner  in  which  the 
reading  of  Ridley's  protest  was  stopped,  see  p.  189.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  213 

Smith: — "Christ's  going  up  to  heaven,  and  his  abiding 
there,  hinder  not  his  real  presence  in  the  sacrament :  ergo, 
you  are  deceived." 

Ridley : — "  Of   Christ's    real   presence    there   may  be    a  Jj}c«f 
double  understanding.     If  you  take  the  real  presence  of  Christ 
according  to  the  real  and  corporal  substance  which  he  took 
of  the  Virgin,  that  presence  being  in  heaven  cannot  be  on 
the  earth  also.     But  if  you  mean  a  real  presence,  '  secundum 
rem  aliquam  quse  ad  corpus  Christ!  pertinet,1  i.e.  according  contained 
to  something  tliat  appertaineth  to  Christ's  body,  certes  the  {"a^and^er- 
ascension  and  abiding  in  heaven  are  no  let  at  all  to  that  tach?il?'s 
presence.     Wherefore  Christ's  body,  after  that  sort,  is  here  natural a 
present  to  us  in  the  Lord's  supper ;  by  grace  I  say,  as  Epi-  b°Ergo, 
phanius  speaketh  it.'1  Sdynotto 

Weston: — "  I  will  cut  off  from  henceforth  all  equivocation  certain"6 
and  doubt :  for  whensoever  we  speak  of  Christ's  body,  we  SScon- 
mean  that  which  he  took  of  the  Virgin."  impossible! 

Eidley: — "  Christ's  ascension  and  abiding  in  heaven  cannot  SenS? * 

T        «.i     i  .  „  "  Omnes 

stand  with  his  presence.  propositio- 

Smith: — "Christ  appeared   corporally  and  really  on  the  poJdbffl  et 

earth,  for  all  his  ascension  and  continual  abode   in  heaven  aqSpSient 

.IT  P1  i  .  .  ,,.,..     dicto  dissi- 

unto  the  day  oi  doom :    ergo,  his  ascension  and  abiding  in  milker  se 

i  i  j.          i,-  i  •      xi  ,•>?          habenti,  et 

heaven  is  no  let  to  his  real  presence  in  the  sacrament.          modo 

liter 

Ridley : — "  Master  doctor,  this  argument  is  nothing  worth. 
I  do  not  so  straitly  tie  Christ  up  in  heaven,  that  he  may 
not  come  into  the  earth  at  his  pleasure:  for  when  he  will, 
he  may  come  down  from  heaven,  and  be  on  the  earth,  as  it 
liketh  himself.  Howbeit  I  do  affirm,  that  it  is  not  possible 
for  him  to  be  both  in  heaven  and  earth  at  one  time.'1 

Smith: — "Mark  diligently,  I  pray  you,  my  masters  that 
be  here,  what  he  answereth:  First  he  saith,  that  the  sitting 
of  Christ  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Father  is  a  let  to  the  real 
presence  of  his  body  in  the  sacrament;  and  then  afterward 
he  rlieth  from  it  again.'1 

Ridley : — "  I  would  not  have  you  think  that  I  do  imagine 
or  dream  upon  any  such  manner  of  sitting,  as  these  men  here 
sit  in  the  school.11 

Smith :— "  Ergo,  It  is  lawful  for  Christ,  then,  to  be  here 
present  on  the  earth,  when  he  will  himself.'1 

Ridley:— "Yw,  when  he  will,  it  is  lawful  indeed.11 


-14  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

Smith : — "  Ergo,  He,  ascending  into  heaven,  doth  not  re 
strain  his  real  presence  in  the  sacrament." 

abodein  Ridley : — "  I  do  not  gainsay,  but  that  it  is  lawful  for  him  to 

lAfmhim0  aPPear  on  the  eai*th  when  he  will :  but  prove  you  that  he  will." 
earthPwhenn  Smith: — "Then  your  answer  dependeth  upon  the  will  of 
whether  he*  ^nris*»  ^  perceive :  therefore  I  will  join  again  with  you  in 
tilis  sllort  argument: 

"Christ,  albeit  he  doth  alway  abide  in  heaven  after  his 
appear  on t0  ascens^on5  was  seen  1>ea%  an(l  corporally  on  earth: 
ether'stSi  "  Ergo,  Notwithstanding  his  ascension  and  continual  sitting 

at  tne  rignt  hand  of  his  Father,  he  may  be  really  and  corpo- 
rally  in  the  sacrament." 

Ridley : — "  If  the  notaries  should  so  record  your  argument 
as  you  have  framed  it,  you,  peradventure,  would  be  ashamed 
preseSy  thereof  hereafter." 

Smith : — "  Christ,  after  his  ascension,  was  seen  really  and 
corporally  upon  the  earth: 

"  Ergo,  Notwithstanding  his  ascension  and  abiding  with 
his  Father,  he  may  be  corporally  in  the  sacrament." 

Ridley : — "  I  grant  the  antecedent,  but  I  deny  the  con 
sequence." 

Smith: — "Do  you  grant  the  antecedent 2" 
Ridley : — "  Yea,  I  grant  the  antecedent.  I  am  content  to 
let  you  have  so  much :  because  I  know  that  there  be  certain 
ancient  fathers  of  that  opinion.  I  am  well  content  to  let 
you  use  that  proposition  as  true,  and  I  will  frame  the  argu 
ment  for  you. 

"  He  was  seen  on  earth  after  his  ascension :  ergo,"  &c. 
Smith: — "Nay,  nay,  I  will  frame  it  myself. 
"  Christ,  after  his  ascension,  was  seen  really  and  corporally 
on  earth,  albeit  he  do  abide  in  heaven  continually: 

"  Ergo,  Notwithstanding  his  ascension  and  continual 
.abiding  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  he  may  be  really 
and  corporally  on  the  earth." 

Ridley : — "  Let  us  first  agree  about  the  continual  sitting 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father." 

Smith : — "  Doth  he  so  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Father, 
that  he  doth  never  forsake  the  same?" 
Christ  can-         Ridley  : — "  Nay,  I  do  not  bind  Christ  in  heaven  so  straitly. 

not  be  both  J\  . 

corporally    I  SQQ  vou  ejo  about  to  beojuiie  me  with  your  equivocations. 

here,  and  •> 


ven  at  one 
time. 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  215 

Such  equivocations  are  to  be  distinguished.  If  you  mean  by  a 
his  sitting  in  heaven,  to  reign  with  his  Father,  he  may  be 
both  in  heaven  and  also  in  earth.  But  if  ye  understand 
his  sitting  to  be  after  a  corporal  manner  of  sitting,  so  is  he 
always  permanent  in  heaven.  For  Christ  to  be  corporally 
here  on  earth,  when  corporally  he  is  resident  in  heaven,  is 
clean  contrary  to  the  holy  Scriptures,  as  Augustinus  saith1 : 
'  The  body  of  Christ  is  in  heaven ;  but  his  truth  is  dispersed  tract<  xxx- 
in  every  place.1  Now,  if  continually  he  abide  in  heaven  after 
the  manner  of  his  corporal  presence,  then  his  perpetual  abiding 
there  stoppeth  or  letteth  that  the  same  corporal  presence  of 
him  cannot  be  in  the  sacrament.11 

Smith .' — "  In  Acts  iii.  we  read,  that  Christ  shall  sit  per 
petually  at  the  right  hand  of  God  unto  the  consummation 
of  the  world/1 

Weston : — "  I  perceive  you  are  come  here  to  this  issue, 
whether  the  body  of  Christ  may  be  together  both  in  earth 
and  in  heaven.  I  will  tell  you  that  Christ,  in  very  deed,  is 
both  in  earth  and  in  heaven  together,  and  at  one  time, 
both  one  and  the  same  natural  Christ,  after  the  verity  and 
substance  of  his  very  body :  ergo,11  &c. 

Ridley: — "I  deny  the  antecedent.11 

Weston : — "  I  prove  it  by  two  witnesses ;  First  by  Chry- 
sostom2 :  l  Do  we  not  offer  every  day  ?  we  do  so  indeed  ;  but 
doing  it  for  the  remembrance  of  his  death.  And  this  offering 

1  "Corpus  Christ!  est  in  coelo,  sed  veritas  ejus  ubique  diffusa  cst." 
[]S.  Aug.  in  Johan.  Evan,  tract,  xxx.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1G85,  torn.  iii. 
col.  517.  The  words  of  St  Augustine  are:  " Corpus  enim  Domini,  in  quo 
resurrexit,  uno  loco  esse  potest ;  veritas,"  etc.  ED.] 

Q2  r't  ovv ;  tjfUK  Kcc0'  cicarr*/*  tf/ucpav  ov  Trpovcpepofjicv ;  Trpocr- 
</>epo/*ei/  fiev,  aAA  ava/ju'ricriv  7rotov[j.evoi  TOU  QO.VO.TOV  avTou.  Ka\  pia 
€<TTIV  ctVTrj,  K.ai  ov  TToAAcu*  eTretCrj  uita^  7rpO(r//i/ey$>7,  w<nrep  eKcivt] 
tj  ek  TCI  ayta  TWI/  ayt'wi/.  TOVTO  tttfatjl  TI/'TTO?  €(TT\,  Ka\  avTi] 
£«6ij/^c.  TOJ/  jap  avTov  ac\  7rpoo-0epo/xei/,  ov  vvv  [j.ev  eTepov  Trpu- 
pcnov,  civpiov  3e  erepoi',  a'/\/V  a'ei  TO  CIVTO'  (aare  JULIO.  eVrli/  tj  6v<ria, 
etrei  TW  Aoyw  TOI/TW,  eTreicdv  7ro\\a%ov  TrpocrtyepeTat,  na\  TTO\\O\ 
\pi<rToi.  aA/\'  ouBa/jiw?'  aAA'  eis  Travra-^ov  a  X^icrTfK,  nai  ev- 
Tavda  TrXt'jpris  <av  KU\  eKe?  TrXijpr]?,  ev  a-w^a.  S.  Chrys.  Horn, 
.xvii.  in  Heb.  cap.  10.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  torn.  xii.  pars  i.  pp.  168,  1GD. 
Weston's  translation  gives  the  sense  of  the  passage,  but  is  a  very  loose 
one.  ED.] 


216 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 


Argument, 


Answer. 


Answer  to 

Chrysos- 

tom. 


Sacrifice, 
why  it  is 
called  one. 


is  one,  and  not  many.  And  how  is  it  one,  and  not  many, 
which  was  once  offered  in  the  holy  place?  This  sacrifice  is 
a  pattern  of  that:  the  selfsame  we  always  offer;  not  now  as 
offering  one  lamb  to-day,  and  another  to-morrow,  but  always 
one  and  the  same  lamb.  Wherefore  here  is  but  one  sacrifice ; 
for  else  by  this  means,  seeing  there  be  many  sacrifices  in  many 
places,  be  there  many  Christs.  Not  so,  but  one  Christ  in 
all  places,  both  perfect  here  and  perfect  there,  one  only  body.' 
Now  thus  I  argue : 

44  We  offer  one  thing  at  all  times. 

"  There  is  one  Christ  in  all  places,  both  here  complete, 
and  there  complete. 

"  Ergo,  By  Chrysostom,  there  is  one  body  both  in  heaven 
and  earth." 

Ridley: — "I  remember  the  place  well.  These  things 
make  nothing  against  me." 

Weston : — "  One  Christ  is  in  all  places ;  here  full  and  there 
full." 

Ridley : — "  One  Christ  is  in  all  places  ;  but  not  one  body 
in  all  places." 

Weston: — "One  body,  saith  Chrysostom." 

Ridley: — "But  not  after  the  manner  of  bodily  substance 
is  he  in  all  places,  nor  by  circumscription  of  place.  For  4  hie1 
and  '  illic,'  c  here'  and  '  there,'  in  Chrysostom  do  assign  no 
place ;  as  Augustine  saith1,  4  The  Lord  is  above,  but  the  truth 
of  the  Lord  is  in  all  places.'" 

Weston: — "You  cannot  so  escape.  He  saith  not,  the 
verity  of  Christ  is  one ;  but  one  Christ  is  in  all  places,  both 
here  and  there." 

Ridley: — "One  sacrifice  is  in  all  places,  because  of  the 
unity  of  him  whom  the  sacrifice  doth  signify:  not  that  the 
sacrifices  be  all  one  and  the  same." 

Weston : — "  Ergo,  By  your  saying  it  is  not  Christ,  but 
the  sacrifice  of  Christ.  But  Chrysostom  saith,  'One  body 
and  one  Christ  is  there;'  and  not  one  sacrifice." 

Ridley: — "I  say,  that  both  Christ  and  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  are  there :  Christ  by  his  spirit,  grace,  and  verity ;  the 

Q1  "  Sursum  est  Dominus,  sed  ubique  est  vcritas  Domini."  S.  Aug. 
in  Johan.  Evan,  tract,  xxx.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn.  iii.  col.  517. 
The  words  of  St  Augustine  are :  "  sed  etiam  hie  est  veritas/'  etc.  En.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  217 

sacrifice  by  signification.  Thus  I  grant  with  Chrysostom, 
that  there  is  one  host  or  sacrifice,  and  not  many.  And  this  >>1 
our  host  is  called  one,  by  reason  of  the  unity  of  that  one, 
which  one  only  all  our  hosts  do  represent.  That  only  host 
was  never  other  but  that  which  \vas  once  offered  on  the  altar 
of  the  cross,  of  which  host  all  our  hosts  are  but  sacramental 
examples. 

kt  And  whereas  you  allege  out  of  Chrysostom,  that  Christ  Christ 'is  of- 
is  offered  in  many  places  at  once  (both  here  full  Christ,  and  manyplaces 
there  full  Christ),  I  grant  it  to  be  true;  that  is,  that  Christ  at once* 
is  offered  in  many  places  at  once,  in  a  mystery  and  sacra- 
mentally,  and  that  he  is  full  Christ  in  all  those  places;   but 
not  after  the  corporal  substance  of  our  flesh  which  he  took, 
but  after  the  benediction  which  giveth  life;  and  he  is  given 
to  the  godly  receivers  in  bread  and  wine,  as  Cyril  speaketh. 
Concerning  the  oblation  of  Christ,  whereof  Chrysostom  here 
speaketh,   he   himself  doth   clearly   shew   what   he   meaneth 
thereby,  in  saying  by  the  way  of  correction,  '  We  always  do 
the  selfsame,  howbeit  by  the  recordation  or  remembrance  of 
his  sacrifice.1" 

Weston : — "  The  second  witness  is  Bernard,  in  a  sermon  Bernard* 
that  he  made  of  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  who  saith2:  'How 
cometh  this  to  us,  most  gentle  Jesus,  that  we,  silly  worms, 
creeping  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  that  we,  I  say,  which  are 
but  dust  and  ashes,  may  deserve  to  have  thee  present  in  our 
hands  and  before  our  eyes,  who,  both  together,  full  and  whole, 
dost  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father;  and  who  also,  in 
the  moment  of  one  hour,  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  to  the 
going  down  of  the  same,  art  present,  one  and  the  selfsame, 
in  many  and  divers  places  T" 

Ridley: — "These  words  of  Bernard  make  for  you  nothing  Bernard!0 
at  all.    But  I  know  that  Bernard  was  in  such  a  time,  that  in  this 
matter  he  may  worthily  be  suspected.     He  hath  many  good 
and  fruitful  sayings;  as  also  in  the  same  aforesaid  place  by 

£a  "  Unde  hoc  nobis,  piissime  Jesu,  ut  nos  vermiculi,  reptantes  super 
faciem  terrae,  nos,  inquam,  qui  pulvis  et  cinis  sumus,  te  pra?sentem 
habcre  mereamur  prae  manibus,  prae  oculis,  qui  totus  et  integer  sedes 
ad  dextram  Patris,  qui  etiara  unius  horse  momenta,  ab  ortu  soils  usque 
ad  occasum,  ab  aquilone  usque  ad  austrum,  praesto  es  unus  in  multis, 
idem  in  diversis  locis?"  S.  Bernard.  Op.  Ed.  Par.  1609,  p.  1678. 
ED.] 


218  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

you  alleged :  but  yet  he  followed  in  an  age,  when  the  doctrine 
Bernard  ra-  of  the  holy  supper  was  sore  perverted.  Notwithstanding  yet 
pounded  J  will  so  expound  him,  rather  than  reject  him,  that  he  shall 
ed.  make  nothing  for  you  at  all.  He  saith,  that  we  have  Christ 

in  a  mystery,  in  a  sacrament,  under  a  veil  or  cover ;  but  here 
after  shall  have  him  without  veil  or  cover.  In  the  mean  time 
here  now  he  saith,  that  the  verity  of  Christ  is  everywhere : 
the  verity  of  Christ  is  both  here  and  there,  and  in  all  places." 

Weston : — "  What  do  you  call  verity  I    He  saith  not  the 
verity  of  Christ,  but  the  verity  of  the  body  of  Christ." 
The  verity          Ridley : — "  The  verity  of  the  body  of  Christ  is  the  true 

of  the  body  y  * 

of  Christ,  faith  of  the  body  of  Christ :  after  that  verity  he  is  with  them 
which  truly  believe  upon  him." 

Weston : — "  Christ  is  one  and  the  same  in  divers  places. 
I  urge  these  words  'in  diversis  locis,'  'in  divers  places;'  and 
yet  I  am  not  satisfied." 

Smith : — "  Christ  was  seen  really  and  corporally  on  the 
earth  after  his  ascension,  and  continually  sitting  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father :  ergo,  the  ascension  and  perpetual  sitting 
in  heaven  hinder  nothing,  but  that  he  may  be  really  and 
corporally  in  the  sacrament." 

Ridley : — "  If  by  perpetual  sitting  you  mean  the  residence 
of  his  body  in  heaven,  your  reason  containeth  manifest  con 
tradiction." 

Smith: — "  These  two  have  no  contradiction  in  them  at  all, 
both  to  sit  continually  at  his  Father's  right  hand,  and  also 
to  be  seen  here  really  in  earth  after  his  ascension.  First,  you 
will  give  me,  that  Christ  sitteth  in  heaven  at  the  right  hand 

Acts  iii.  of  his  Father ;  for  so  it  is  written,  '  Heaven  must  needs 
receive  him,  unto  the  time  of  the  restoring  of  all,'  &c. 
Secondly,  he  was  also  seen  of  Paul  here  corporally  on  earth. 
Wherefore  these  two  do  import,  as  ye  see,  no  contradiction." 

TO  be  here          Ridley : — "  What  letteth  but  that  Christ,  if  it  please  him, 

hereim-      and  when  it  pleaseth  him,  may  be  in  heaven  and  in  earth, 

porteth  con 
tradiction  in  and  appear  to  whom  he  will  2    and  vet,  notwithstanding,  you 

respect  of  .  . 

tim?  ^ave  no*  ye"  Proved  that  he  will  so  do.  And  though  Christ 
continually  shall  be  resident  in  heaven  unto  the  judgment, 
yet  there  may  be  some  intermission,  that  notwithstanding. 
But  this  controversy,  as  I  said,  is  amongst  all  the  ancient 
doctors  and  writers.  And  that  Christ  hath  been  here  seen, 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  219 

that  they  grant  all:   but  whether  then  he  being  in  earth  or 
in  heaven,  that  is  doubtful." 

Smith : — "  I  will  prove  that  he  would  appear  in  earth. 
He  so  would,  and  also  did  appear  here  in  earth  after  his 
ascension :  ergo,"  &c. 

Ridley : — "  He  appeared,  I  grant ;  but  how  he  appeared, 
whether  then  being  in  heaven  or  in  earth,  that  is  uncertain. 
So  he  appeared  to  Stephen,  being  then  corporally  sitting 
in  heaven.  For,  speaking  after  the  true  manner  of  man's 
body,  when  he  is  in  heaven,  he  is  not  the  same  time  in 
earth;  and  when  he  is  in  earth,  he  is  not  the  same  time 
corporally  in  heaven." 

Smith : — "  Christ  hath  been  both  in  heaven  and  in  earth 
all  at  one  time :  ergo,  you  are  deceived  in  denying  that." 

Ridley : — "  I  do  not  utterly  deny  Christ  here  to  have  been 
seen  in  earth.  Of  uncertain  things  I  speak  uncertainly." 

Smith : — "  He  was  seen  of  Paul,  as  being  born  before  his  l  Cor-  *v. 
time,  after  his  ascending  up  to  heaven. 

"  But  his  vision  was  a  corporal  vision : 

"  Ergo,  He  was  seen  corporally  upon  the  earth  after  his  This  argu- 

J  ment  hold- 

ascending  into  heaven.  etu  rather ? 

Ridley: — "He  was   seen   really   and   corporally   indeed:  than'^ati-^ 
but  whether  being  in  heaven  or  earth,  is  a  doubt :   and  of 
doubtful    things   we   must   judge    doubtfully.     Howbeit   you 
must  prove,  that  he  was  in  heaven  at  the  same  time  when 
he  was  corporally  on  earth." 

Smith : — "  I  would  know  of  you,  whether  this  vision  may 
enforce  the  resurrection  of  Christ." 

Ridley : — "  I  account  this  a  sound  and  firm  argument  to  whether 
prove  the  resurrection.  But  whether  they  saw  him  in  heaven  Christ  in 
or  in  earth,  I  ain  in  doubt:  and  to  say  the  truth,  it  maketh  earth;  ail  fe 

-^,    , ,  , .  one  to  prove 

no  great  matter.     Both  ways  the  argument  is  of  like  strength ;  his  resur- 

o          ,     , ,         ,  .      ,  rection.  Pe- 

ior  whether  he  were  seen  in  heaven,  or  whether  he  were  seen 
on  earth,  either  of  both  maketh  sufficiently  for  the  matter. 
Certain  it  is,  he  rose  again :  for  he  could  not  have  been  seen, 
unless  he  had  risen  again." 

Smith : — "  Paul  saw  him  as  he  was  here  conversant  011 
earth,  and  not  out  of  heaven,  as  you  affirm." 

Ridley : — "  You  run  to  the  beginning  again  :  that  you 
take  for  granted,  which  you  should  have  proved." 


220  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

Smith: — "You  make  delays  for  the  nonce." 
Ridley: — "  Say  not  so,  I  pray  you.     Those  that  hear  us 
be  learned :    they  can  tell  both  what  you  oppose,  and  what 
I  answer,  well  enough,  I  warrant  you." 

Arg-ument.  Tresham: — "He  was  seen  after  such  sort,  as  that  he 
might  be  heard :  ergo,  he  was  corporally  on  the  earth ;  or 
else  how  could  he  be  heard  f 

Answer.  Ridley: — "  He  that  found  the  means  for  Stephen  to  behold 

him  in  heaven,  even  he  could  bring  to  pass  well  enough,  that 
Paul  might  hear  him  out  of  heaven." 

Argument.   jfa_    Smith:— "  As  others  saw  him,  so  Paul  saw  him/ 

ti-       "  Other  did  see  him  visibly  and  corporally  on  earth : 
si.       "  Ergo,  Paul  saw  him  visibly  and  corporally  on  earth." 

Answer.  Ridley: — "I  grant  he  was  seen  visibly  and  corporally: 

but  yet  have  you  not  proved  that  he  was  seen  in  earth." 
Smith : — "  He  was  seen  of  him  as  of  others. 
"  But  he  was  seen  of  others  being  on  earth,  and  appeared 
visibly  to  them  on  earth : 

44  Ergo,  He  was  seen  of  Paul  on  earth." 
Ridley : — "  Your  controversy  is  about  4  existens  in  terra,"1 
that  is,  being  on  earth.  If  'existere,1  4to  be,'  be  referred 
as  unto  the  place,  I  deny  that  Christ  after  that  sort  was 
on  earth.  But  if  it  be  referred  as  to  the  verity  of  the  body, 
then  I  grant  it.  Moreover  I  say,  that  Christ  was  seen  of 
men  in  earth  after  his  ascension,  it  is  certain:  for  he  was 
seen  of  Stephen;  he  was  seen  also  of  Paul.  But  whether 
he  descended  unto  the  earth,  or  whether  he,  being  in  heaven, 
did  reveal  or  manifest  himself  to  Paul,  when  Paul  was  rapt 
into  the  third  heaven,  I  know  that  some  contend  about  it: 
and  the  Scripture,  as  far  as  I  have  read  or  heard,  doth  not 
determine  it.  Wherefore  we  cannot  but  judge  uncertainly 
of  those  things  which  be  uncertain." 

Lib. HI. cap.  Smith: — "We  have  Hegesippus  and  Linus  against  you1, 
which  testify,  that  Christ  appeared  corporally  on  the  earth 

Q1  Hegesippus,  who  was  born  in  the  beginning  of  the  second  cen 
tury,  was  the  author  of  the  first  ecclesiastical  history,  a  work  which 
now  unhappily  has  perished,  save  a  few  fragments  preserved  chiefly 
by  Eusebius.  St  Jerome  speaks  of  it  in  high  terms.  The  writings 
attributed  to  Linus,  who  is  mentioned  by  St  Paul,  are  spurious,  .see 
Cave,  Hist.  Lit.  vol.  i.  pp.  27.  73.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION'    AT    OXFORD.  221 

to  Peter  after  his  ascension.  Peter,  overcome  with  the  requests 
and  mournings  of  the  people,  which  desired  him  to  get  him 
out  of  the  city  because  of  Nero  his  lying  in  wait  for  him,  began 
without  company  to  convey  himself  away  from  thence :  and 
when  he  was  come  to  the  gate,  he  seeth  Christ  come  to  meet 
him,  and  worshipping  him  he  said,  '  Master,  whither  walk 
you  r  Christ  answered,  '  I  am  come  again  to  be  crucified.1 
Linus,  writing  of  the  passion  of  Peter,  hath  the  selfsame Linus- 
story.  St  Ambrose  hath  the  same  likewise,  and  also  Abdias,  ibdias?ius* 
scholar  to  the  apostles,  which  saw  Christ  before  his  ascending 
into  heaven.  With  what  face,  therefore,  dare  you  affirm  it 
to  be  a  thing  uncertain,  which  these  men  do  manifestly  witness 
to  have  been  done!" 

Ridley : — "  I  said  before,  that  the  doctors  in  that  matter 
did  vary." 

Smith : — "  Do  you  think  this  story  is  not  certain,  being 
approved  by  so  ancient  and  probable  authority?" 

Ridley : — "  I  do  so  think,  because  I  take  and  esteem  not 
their  words  for  the  words  of  Scripture.  And  though  I  did 
grant  you  that  story  to  be  certain,  yet  it  maketh  not  against 
me." 

Smith: — "Such  things  as  be  certain,  and  approved  of 
them,  you  do  reject  as  things  uncertain." 

Ridley : — "  The  story  of  Linus  is  not  of  so  great  authority ;  The  credit 
although  I  am  not  ignorant  that  Eusebius  so  writeth  also,  story. 
in  the  Story  of  the  Church.     And  yet  I  account  not  these  This  addi- 

*  . ,  ,     ~  tion  is  taken 

mens  reports  so  sure  as  the  canonical  Scriptures.     Albeit,  out  of  the 

.„  ,        .      ,  ,     .  .      copyofRid- 

it  at  any  time  he,  had  to  any  man  appeared  here  on  the  ley's  own 
earth  after  his  ascension,  that  doth  not  disprove  my  saying. 
For  I  go  not  about  to  tie  Christ  up  in  fetters  (as  some  do 
untruly  report  of  us)  ;  but  that  he  may  be  seen  upon  the 
earth  according  to  his  divine  pleasure,  whensoever  it  liketh 
him.  But  we  affirm,  that  it  is  contrary  to  the  nature  of  his 
manhood,  and  the  true  manner  of  his  body,  that  he  should 
be  together  and  at  one  instant  both  in  heaven  and  earth, 
according  to  his  corporal  substance.  And  the  perpetual 
sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  may,  I  grant,  be 
taken  for  the  stability  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and  his  conti 
nual  or  everlasting  equality  with  his  Father  in  the  glory 
of  heaven." 


222  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

Smith  :  —  "  Now,  whereas  you  boast  that  your  faith  is  the 
very  faith  of  the  ancient  church,  I  will  shew  here  that  it  is 
not  so,  but  that  it  doth  directly  strive  against  the  faith  of 
the  old  fathers:  I  will  bring  in  Chrysostom  for  this  point1. 
'Eliseus  received  the  mantle,  as  a  right  great  inheritance: 
for  it  was  indeed  a  right  excellent  inheritance,  and  more 
precious  than  any  gold  beside.  And  the  same  was  a  double 
Elias  :  he  was  both  Elias  above,  and  Elias  beneath.  I  know 
well  you  think  that  just  man  to  be  happy,  and  you  would 
gladly  be,  every  one  of  you,  as  he  is.  What  will  you  then 
say,  if  I  shall  declare  unto  you  a  certain  other  thing,  which 
all  we  that  are  endued  with  these  holy  mysteries  do  receive 
much  more  than  that?  Elias  indeed  left  his  mantle  to  his 
scholar:  but  the  son  of  God  ascending  did  leave  here  his 
flesh  unto  us.  Elias  left  it,  putting  off  the  same  :  but  Christ 
both  left  it  to  us,  and  ascended  also  to  heaven,  having  it 
with  him:" 
Here,  at  this  Eidlev  :  —  "I  grant  that  Christ  did  both;  that  is,  both 

answer,  «/  o 

great  cart,    took  up  his  flesh  with  him  ascending  up,  and  also  did  leave 
taunting,     tjie  same  behind  him  with  us,  but  after  a  diverse  manner  and 

spiteful,  and  ' 


resPec^«      -^Or  ne  ^°0^  ^S  ^6Sn  W^n  n^m'  R^6r   ^6    true    and 

this  Uood  col'Poral  substance  of  his  body  and  flesh  :  again,  he  left  the 
bishop.  same  m  mystery  to  the  faithful  in  the  supper,  to  be  received 
after  a  spiritual  communication,  and  by  grace.  Neither  is 
the  same  received  in  the  supper  only,  but  also  at  other 
times,  by  hearing  the  gospel,  and  by  faith.  For  the 
'bread,'  which  we  break,  is  the  communication  of  the  body 
of  Christ:  and  generally,  'Unless  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the 
Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  shall  have  no  life 
in  you/" 


KaflaVep  [jiejiffTtjv  KXrjpovoijLt 
KCti  yap  r\v  dXrjdias  fj.ejio-rr]  K\r]povofj.ia  marro?  ^pvaiov  n/j.i(arepa.  KO.I 
r\v  OtTrAou?  'H/\tas  eK€?i/o?.  KCU  r\v  avio  'HAia?,  KO.\  KUTOJ  'H/Vta?.  o/Sa,  on 
fjiaKapi&T6  TOV  2>iKaioif  €Ke?i/oi/,  KCU  ef3ov\e<rde  auro?  e'tfacrros  e'tfelVo? 
elvac  TI  ovv  av  \>}uv  vTrodei^w  ori  erepov  TI  TroXAw  fj.e1(^ov  etteivov 
?raWe?  e.\a'/3ouei>  ol  pepvo-TaywytuJievoi  ;  o  pev  yap  'HAi'a?  pri\toTr]v 
a,(hf]Ke  TW  fjiaOtirfj,  o  Be  ui'o?  TOV  Qeov  dvafiaivtav  TY\V  (raptta  »;/ 
KaTeXnre  Trjv  eavrov,  a/\\*  o  /xei/  'H/\<a9  dm$wrdft€VO9)  o  Se  X 
KOI  yfMv  KareXnre,  KCU  e^toi/  avrt]v  dvf]\6e.  S.  Chrysostomi,  Horn.  ir. 
in  Antioch.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1718,  torn.  ii.  p.  34.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  223 

Smith: — "  Chrysostom  saith3:  <O  miracle,  0  good  will 
of  God !  He  that  sitteth  above,  at  the  sacrifice  time  is  con 
tained  in  the  hands  of  men.'  Or  else,  as  others  have  trans 
lated  it,  thus :  '  0  miracle,  O  the  gentleness  of  God  !  he  that 
sitteth  above  with  the  Father,  is  handled  with  the  hands  of 
all  men  at  the  very  same  moment  of  time,  and  doth  him 
self  deliver  himself  to  them  that  are  desirous  to  take  him 
and  embrace  him.'" 

Ridley : — "  He  that  sitteth  there,  is  liere  present  in  mys 
tery,  and  by  grace ;  and  is  holden  of  the  godly,  such  as  com 
municate  him,  not  only  sacramentally  with  the  hand  of  the 
body,  but  much  more  wholesomely  with  the  hand  of  the  heart, 
and  by  inward  drinking  is  received :  but  by  the  sacramental 
signification  he  is  holden  of  all  men." 

Seton : — "  Where  is  then  the  miracle,  if  he  be  only  present 
through  his  grace  and  mystery  only?" 

Ridley : — "  Yes,  there  is  a  miracle,  good  sir :  Christ  is  The  miracle 
not  idle  in  his  sacraments.  Is  not  the  miracle  great,  trow 
you,  when  bread,  which  is  wont  to  sustain  the  body,  becometh 
food  to  the  soul?  He  that  understandeth  not  that  miracle, 
he  understandeth  riot  the  force  of  that  mystery.  God  grant 
we  may  every  one  of  us  understand  his  truth,  and  obey  the 
same." 

Smith: — "Chrysostom  calleth  it  a  miracle,  that  Christ 
sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God  in  heaven,  and  at  the  same 
time  is  held  in  the  hands  of  men. — Not  that  he  is  handled 
with  the  hands  of  men — only  in  a  mystery,  and  is  with  them 
through  grace.  Therefore  while  you  deny  that,  you  are 
altogether  deceived,  and  stray  far  from  the  truth." 

Harpsfield: — "The  former  place  of  Chrysostom  is  not 
to  be  let  slip.  Let  me,  before  I  begin,  ask  this  one  question 
of  you.  Is  it  not  a  great  matter  that  Elias  left  his  cloak 
or  mantle,  and  the  gift  of  his  prophecy  to  his  scholar  ?" 

Ridley : — "  Yes,  surely ;   it  is  a  great  matter." 

Harpsfaid:^-«IM  not  Elias  then  leave  great  grace?" 

j_"   12  TOU   6avfj.ctTo<;'  'O  TIT?   TOU  Qeov  (ptXavdpcoTrias'  o  ,ueTCi  TOU 
Kctdrl^cvo^   Kara   TY\V    wpav  CKeivrjv   TCHC    diravroav  KCITC- 
Kat   £'6"><ni/  avTov  TO??  /3ouAo/*ei/ot?   7repnrTv£acr6ai  KCU 
S.  Chrys.  de  Sacerdotio,  lib.  m.  cap.  4.    Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par. 
1718,  torn.  i.  p.  382.    ED.] 


224  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

:— "He  did  so." 

"B\it  Christ  left  a  far  greater  grace  than 
Elias :  for  he  could  not  both  leave  his  cloak  and  take  it  with 
him;  Christ  doth  both  in  his  flesh." 

Ridley:— "I  am  well  content  to  grant,  that  Christ  left 
i3iTtStdh  much  grater  things  to  us  than  Elias  to  Eliseus,  albeit  he 
be  said  to  have  left  m's  double  spirit  with  him;  for  that 
the  strength  and  grace  of  the  body  of  Christ,  which  Christ 
ascending  up  here  left  with  us,  is  the  only  salvation  and 
life  of  all  men  which  shall  be  saved:  which  life  Christ 
hath  here  left  unto  us,  to  be  received  by  faith  through  the 
hearing  of  the  word,  and  the  right  administration  of  the 
sacraments.  This  virtue  and  grace  Chrysostom,  after  the 
phrase  and  manner  of  John  the  evangelist,  calleth  Christ's 
flesh." 

b?t™eenE-n  Harpsfield: — "But  Christ  performed  a  greater  matter. 
tiiesandian"  He  carriecl  11P>  and  left  behind.  You  understand  not  the 
Sfliias  comparison.  The  comparison  is  in  this,  That  Elias  left  his 
mantihe,sand  mantle,  and  carried  it  not  with  him :  Christ  left  his  flesh 
maniie'SoJ  behind  him>  and  carried  it  with  him  also." 
ofhrfsmmat  J&V%:—"True  it  is,  and  I  myself  did  affirm  no  less 
hfm^christ  before.  Now,  where  you  seem  to  speak  many  things,  indeed 
fl°esh,hand  vou  bring  no  new  things  at  all.  Let  there  be  a  comparison 
ment  onS"  between  grace  and  grace ;  then  Christ  gave  the  far  greater 
washmore°h  grace,  when  he  did  insert  or  graft  us  into  his  flesh." 
did^ancfyet  Harpsfield: — "If  you  will  give  me  leave,  I  will  ask  you 
lias  after?"  this  question :  If  Chrysostom  would  have  meant  so,  that 
down  MS*  Christ  left  his  body  in  the  eucharist,  what  plainer  words  think 
you,  or  more  evident  could  he  have  used  than  these  2" 

Ridley: — "These  things  be  not  of  so  great  force  as  they 
bear  a  great  shew  outwardly.  He  might  also  have  used 
grosser  words,  if  he  had  listed  to  have  uttered  his  mind  so 
grossly:  for  he  was  an  eloquent  man.  Now  he  speaketh 
after  the  manner  of  other  doctors,  which  of  mystical  matters 
speak  mystically,  and  of  sacraments  sacramentally." 

Harpsfield: — "The  comparison  lieth  in  this:  That  which 
was  impossible  to  Elias,  is  possible  with  Christ." 

Ridley : — "  I  grant  it  was  possible  to  Christ,  which  was 
to  the  other  impossible.  Elias  left  his  cloak  :  Christ  both 
left  his  flesh  and  took  it  with  him." 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  225 


Harpsfield:  —  "Ellas  left  behind  him,  and  could  not  take 
with  him  :  Christ  both  left  behind  him,  and  also  took  with 
him  :  except  you  will  say  the  comparison  here  made  to  be 
nothing." 

Ridley  :—  -"He  took  up  his  flesh  with  him  to  heaven,  and 
left  here  the  communion  of  his  flesh  in  earth." 

Weston:  —  "You  understand  in  the  first  place  his  flesh 
for  very  true  flesh  ;  and  in  the  second  place  for  grace,  and 
communion  of  his  flesh  ;  and  why  do  you  not  understand  it 
in  the  second  place  also,  for  his  true  flesh?  I  will  make  ft 
evident  how  blockish  and  gross  your  answer  is." 

Ridley  :  —  "  These  be  taunts  and  reproaches  not  beseeming,  tua-" 
as  I  think,  the  modesty  of  this  school." 

Weston:  —  "Elias  left  his  cloak  to  his  disciple;  but  the 
Son  of  God,  going  up  to  heaven,  left  his  flesh.  But  Elias 
certainly  left  his  cloak  behind,  and  Christ  likewise  his  flesh; 
and  yet,  ascending,  he  carried  the  same  with  him  too.  13y 
which  words  we  make  this  reason  : 

"Christ  left  his  flesh  to  his  disciples,  and  yet,  for  all  that, 
he  took  the  same  up  with  him  : 

"  Ergo,  He  is  present  here  with  us." 

Here  Dr  Weston,  crying  to  the  people,  said  unto  them, 
"Master  doctor  answereth  it  after  this  fashion:  'He  carried  English. 
his  flesh  into  heaven,  and  he  left  here  the  communion  of  his 
flesh  behind.'     Assuredly  the  answer  is  too  unlearned." 

Ridley:  —  "I  am  glad  you  speak  in  English.  Surely,  I 
wish  that  all  the  whole  world  might  understand  your  reasons 
and  my  answers.  He  left  us  his  flesh.  This  you  understand 
of  his  flesh,  and  I  understand  the  same  of  grace.  He  carried  nemsuam-" 
his  flesh  into  heaven,  and  left  behind  the  communion  of  his 
flesh  unto  us." 

Weston:  —  "Ye  judges,  what  think  ye  of  this  answer?" 

Judges:  —  "It  is  ridiculous,  and  a  very  fond  answer." 

Ridley:  —  "Well,  I  take  your  words  patiently,  for  Christ's 


cause." 


Weston  here  citeth  a  place:    "We  are  sprinkled  with 
the  blood  of  Christ."  curisti." 

Ridley:  —  "Master  doctor,  it  is  the  same  blood,  but  yet  HOW  we  are 
spiritually  received.  And  indeed  all  the  prophets  were  sprinkled  g|J|st,s 

15  blood. 

[RIDLEY.] 


226  DISPUTATION     AT    OXFORD. 


with  the  same  blood,  but  yet  spiritually,  I  say,  and  by  grace. 
And   whatsoever  they  be  that   are   not   sprinkled   with  this 
blood,  they  cannot  be  partakers  of  the  everlasting  salvation." 
This  he  re-          Weston  :  —  "  Here  I  bring  Bernard  unto  you  again1  :  'Even 
from  the  west  unto  the  east,  from  the  north  unto  the  south, 


aiseor°]  there  is  one  and  the  selfsame  Christ  in  many  and  divers 
places/" 

Answer  to  Ridley:  —  "The  answer  is  soon  made,  that  one  Christ  is 
here  and  in  divers  places  :  for  God,  according  to  his  majesty, 
and  according  to  his  providence,  as  St  Augustine  saith,  is 
everywhere  with  the  godly,  according  to  his  indivisible  and 
unspeakable  grace.  Or  else,  if  ye  should  understand  Bernard 
according  to  the  corporal  presence,  how  monstrous,  or  huge 
and  giant-like  a  body  would  you  then  make  Christ's  body 
to  be,  which  should  reach  even  from  north  to  south,  from  west 
to  east." 

Weston:  —  "Nay,  nay,  you  make  a  monstrous  answer,  and 
unlearned." 

Ridley  Ward:  —  "Before   I  come  in  with  those  reasons    which 

ifllscly 

setaffrthtthe  *  ^a(l  purposed  to  bring  against  you,  I  am  minded  to 
Herettfey*  come  agam  to  Master  doctor's  argument,  by  which  you, 
IlSnt?  being  brought  into  the  briars,  seemed  to  doubt  of  Christ's 
Latin.  presence  on  the  earth.  To  the  proof  of  which  matter  I 

will  bring  nothing  else,   than  that   which  was  agreed  upon 

in  the  catechism2  of  the  synod  of  London,  set  out.  not  long 

ago  by  you," 

Eidley  :-—"  Sir,  I   give   you   to   wit,  before  you  go   any 

further,  that  I  did  set  out  no  catechism." 
Weston,  m         Weston  :  —  "Yes,  you  made  me  subscribe  to  it,  when  you 

king  Ed-  '   J 

subscribed5'  W6r6  a  Bishop  m  V0lir  ruff-" 

Bidley  :  —  "  I  compelled  no  man  to  subscribe." 
Ward:  —  "Yes,  by  the  rood,  you  are  the  very  author  of 
that  heresy." 

I1  See  p.  216,  note.    ED.] 

P  The  catechism  here  referred  to  is  the  Catechism  of  King  Edward 
VI.  published  by  Royal  Authority  both  in  Latin  and  English  in  A.  D. 
1553,  and  which  was  revised  and  approved  by  convocation.  Fox,  in  his 
side  note,  "  of  this  catechism  read  before,"  refers  to  the  conference 
with  Secretary  Bourne,  where  he  (Fox)  speaks  of  the  Catechism,  but 
erroneously.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  227 


Ridley:  —  "I  put  forth  no  catechism." 

Cole:  —  "  Did  you  never  consent  to  the  setting  out  of  those 
things  which  you  allowed  2" 

Ridley:—  "I   grant   that   I    saw  the   book;   but  I  deny 
that  I  wrote  it.     I  perused  it  after  it  was  made,  and  I  noted  read  before. 
many  tilings  for  it  :  so  I  consented  to  the  book.     I  was  not 
the  author  of  it." 

Judges:—  -"The  catechism  is  so  set  forth,  as  though  the  The  judges 

"  give  an  un- 

whole   convocation-house    had    agreed  to   it.     Cranmer  said  true  ver- 

diet:  for  Dr 

yesterday,  that  you  made  it."  SSSST'b 

Ridley  :  —  "  I  think  surely,  that  he  would  not  say  so."      j^o  uncii, 


Ward:—"  The  catechism  hath  this  clause  :  'Si  visibiliter  £9r.d  of 

Kiciiey. 

et  in  terra/     '  If  visibly  and  on  the  earth.1  " 

Ridley  :  —  "  I  answer,  that  those  articles  were  set  out,  I 
both  writing  and  consenting  to  them.  Mine  own  hand  will 
testify  the  same,  and  Master  Cranmer  put  his  hand  to  them 
likewise,  and  gave  them  to  others  afterward.  Now,  as  for 
the  place  which  you  allege  out  of  it,  that  may  easily  be  ex 
pounded,  and  without  any  inconvenience." 

Ward:  —  "  Christ  is  the  power  and  the  virtue  of  his  Father  :  Apossiwu 

ad  esse,  non 

ergo,  he  was  not  of  so  little  strength,  that  he  could  not  bring  vateteJJ£ 
to  pass  whatsoever  he  would  himself." 

Ridley:—  "I  grant." 

Ward:  —  "Christ  was  the  wisdom  of  the  Father:  ergo, 
that  he  spake,  he  spake  wisely,  and  so  as  every  man  might 
understand  ;  neither  was  it  his  mind  to  speak  one  thing  in 
stead  of  another." 

Ridley:—  "All  this  I  grant." 

Ward:  —  "Christ  was  likewise  the  very  truth:  ergo,  he  Argument 
made  and  performed  indeed  that  which  he  intended  to  make,  dom  and 
And  likely  it  is,  that  he  doth  neither  deceive,  nor  could  be  Christ. 
deceived,  nor  yet  would  go  about  to  deceive  others." 

Weston  :—  "  Hilary  on  Psal.  cxviii.  hath  these  words3  :  '  All 
God's  words  or  sayings  are  true,  and  neither  idly  placed 
nor  unprofitably,  but  fiery,  and  wonderful  fiery,  without  all 

"  Vera  omnia  sunt,  ct  neque  otiose  neque  inutiliter  constituta  Dei 
verba,  sed  extra  omnem  ambiguitatem  superfluse  inanitatis,  ignita,  et 
ignita  vehementer,  ne  quid  illic  esse,  quod  non  perfectum  ac  proprium 
sit,  existimetur."  [S.  Hilar.  in  Psal.  cxviii.  (hodie  Psal.  cxix.)  Op.  Ed. 
Ben.  Par.  1693,  col.  350.  ED.] 

15—2 


228  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

doubtfulness  of  superfluous  vanity ;  that  there  may  be  nothing 
thought  to  be  there,  which  is  not  absolute  and  proper.1  v 

Ward: — "He  is  the  truth  of  the  Father:  ergo,  he  can 
neither  deceive,  nor  yet  be  deceived  ;  especially,  I  mean,  when 
he  spake  at  his  latter  end,  and  made  his  testament." 
Answer  to          Ridley : — "  Christ  is  the  very  truth  of  the  Father  ;   and 

Ward's  ar-  t  ^  J  f 

gument.  I  perceive  well  to  what  scope  you  drive  your  reason.  This 
is  but  a  far-fetched  compass  of  words.  If  that  these  words 
of  Christ,  c  This  is  my  body,'  which  you  mean,  be  rightly 
understood,  they  are  most  true." 

Ward :— "  He  took,  he  brake,  he  gave,  &c.   What  took  he  T 

Ridley :— "  Bread :  his  body.11 

HW:— "What  brake  he?" 

Ridley :— "  Bread." 

Ward:— "What  gave  hef 

Ridley :— "  Bread." 

Ward : — "  Gave  he  bread  made  of  wheat,  and  material 
bread  T 

Ridley : — "  I  know  not  whether  he  gave  bread  of  wheat ; 
but  he  gave  true  and  material  bread." 

Ward: — "I  will  prove  the  contrary  by  Scriptures. 

"  He  delivered  to  them  that  which  he  bade  them  take. 

"  But  he  bade  not  them  take  material  bread,  but  his  own  body: 
This  argu-  «  Ergo,  He  gave  not  material  bread,  but  his  own  body." 

inent  is  not  &  o  '  J 

thesecoad  Ridley : — "  I  deny  the  minor.  For  he  bade  them  take 
^s  body  sacramentally  in  material  bread :  and  after  that  sort 
it  was  both  bread  which  he  bade  them  take,  because  the 
substance  was  bread,  and  that  it  was  also  his  body,  because 
it  was  the  sacrament  of  his  body,  for  the  sanctifying  and 
the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  always  assistant  to 
those  mysteries  which  were  instituted  of  Christ,  and  lawfully 
administered1." 

£J  EiVtoi/  Be,  TOUTO  fjiov  ftrrt  TO  o-w/xor,  SfiKPUCi  OTI  CIVTO  TO 
<rd)/jia  TOV  KvpiOV  €(TT\V  o  apTO?  d  dyia^o/j.evo<;  cv  Tip  6vcria<rTr]piw, 

KCU      OVJ£l     aVTlTVTTOV'       OV     ^Op      flTTC,      ToUTO     €<TTIV     aVTlTVTrOV,     U/XAa 

TOUTO  /JLOV  e<TT\  TO  <rw/xa'  dpptjTio  yap  evepyeia  jueTa7roje?ra^  nav 
<paivr]Tai  tj/jL^v  apTos'  eVet  yap  acr0ei/6??  €<rp€Vt  KO.\  OVK  av  eBe^a- 
fjieda  Kpeas  ecrdieiv  tafjiov  KCU  apQpwirov  <rdpKa,  cid  TOUTO  aproe 
pev  1J/JUV  (paiveTai,  <rdp£  8e  Tta  OVTI  CCTTI.  Theopll.  in  Matth.  cap, 
xx vi.  Ed.  Morclli.  Paris,  p.  1G2.  En,] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD,  229 


Harpsfield: — "  What  is  he  that  so  saith,  'By  the  coming 
unto  of  the  Holy  Spirit  r  " 

Ridley:— "I  have  Theophylact  for  mine  author  for  this 
manner  of  speaking.  And  here  I  bring  him,  that  ye  may 
understand  that  phrase  not  to  be  mine,  upon  Matthew  xxvi. 
Furthermore  the  said  Theophylact,  writing  upon  these  words, 
4  This  is  my  body,1  sheweth,  that  the  body  of  the  Lord  is 
bread,  which  is  sanctified  on  the  altar." 

OgletJiorpe: — "That  place  of  Theophylact  maketh  openly 
against  you :  for  he  saith  in  that  place,  that  Christ  said  not, 
4  This  is  the  figure  of  my  body,  but  my  body/  '  For,1  saith 
he,  'by  an  unspeakable  operation  it  is  transformed,  although 
it  seem  to  us  to  be  bread.1" 

Ridley : — "  It  is  not  a  figure  ;  that  is  to  sa\r,  '  Non  tantum  Tiie  words 

J  *'  of'fheophy- 

est  figura;1  i.e.  It  is  not  only  a  figure  of  his  body.11 

Weston : — "  Where  have  you  that  word  '  tantum,1 
*  only  T  "  y) 

•  .  swered, 

Eidley : — "  It  is  not  in  that  place,  but  he  hath  it  in 
another;  and  Agustine  doth  so  speak  many  times,  and  other 
doctors  more." 

Here  Weston  repeating  the  words  of  Theophylact  in 
English,  said,  "  He  saith,  it  is  no  figure,  and  you  say,  it  is 
a  figure."  And  the  same  Theophylact  saith  moreover,  that 
the  converting  or  turning  of  the  bread  is  made  into  the  Lord's 
flesh. 

That  which  Christ  gave,  we  do  give.  Thisargu- 

But  that  which  he  gave  was  not  a  figure  of  his  body,  but  without  per- 

.  .  J '  feet  mood 

hlS   body.  and  form, 

•n  titr         •  n  •  having  the 

.hrgo,   We  give  no  figure,  but  his  body".  mmornega. 

Eidley : — "  I  grant,11  quoth  he,  "the  bread  to  be  converted  second  n- 
and  turned  into  the  flesh  of  Christ ;  but  not  by  transubstanti-  conversion 

»  after  what 

0  sort  in  the 

[*  Jb  ox  has  the  following  note  on  this  passage :  "  As  concerning  the  sacrament. 

authority  of  Theophylactus,  what  he  thought  and  might  have  spoken 
of  that  author,  Dr  Ridley  did  not  then  speak,  nor  could  conveniently 
(as  he  himself  afterwards  declared,  reporting  and  writing  with  his  own 
hand  the  disputations  in  the  prison,)  because  of  the  uproars  and  cla 
mours,  which  were  so  great,  and  he  of  so  many  called  upon,  that  he 
could  not  answer  as  he  would,  and  what  he  thought  touching  the 
authority  of  Theophylactus,  but  answered  simply  to  that  which  is 
brought  out  of  that  author  on  this  sort."  ED.] 


230  DISPUTATION     AT    OXFORD. 

ation,  but  by  sacramental  converting  or  turning.  c  It  is  trans 
formed,1  saith  Theophylact  in  the  same  place,  'by  a  mystical 
benediction,  and  by  the  accession  or  coming  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  unto  the  flesh  of  Christ.'  He  saith  not,  by  expulsion 
or  driving  away  the  substance  of  bread,  and  by  substituting 
or  putting  in  its  place  the  corporal  substance  of  Chrisfs  flesh  \ 
And  whereas  he  saith,  '  It  is  not  a  figure  of  the  body,1  we 
should  understand  that  saying,  as  he  himself  doth  elsewhere 
add  'only,'  that  is,  it  is  no  naked  or  bare  figure  only.  For 
Christ  is  present  in  his  mysteries ;  neither  at  any  time,  as 
Cyprian  saith,  doth  the  Divine  Majesty  absent  himself  from 
the  divine  mysteries." 

Weston: — "  You  put  in  'only,1  and  that  is  one  lie.  And 
I  tell  you  further :  Peter  Martyr  was  fain  to  deny  the  author, 
because  the  place  was  so  plain  against  him.  But  mark  his 
words,  how  he  saith,  'It  is  no  figure,  but  his  flesh.1" 

Ridley : — "  To  take  his  words,  and  not  his  meaning,  is 
to  do  injury  to  the  author." 

Sffsatatd~         Harding: — "No  other  doctor  maketh  more  against  you. 

mon£thea"   For   the   word  in    Greek   is  peTcurTorxetovTai ;  which  is   in 

notaries.      Latin  '  trans-elementatur,'  that  is,  turned  from  one  element 

into   another.     And   shewing  the   cause   why   it   is  in   form 

of  bread,  he  saith,  '  Because  we  are  infirm,  and  abhor  to  eat 

the  raw  flesh,   especially  the  flesh  of  man ;  therefore  it  ap- 

peareth  bread,  but  it  is  flesh.1" 

™T™™-         Ridley :— "  That  word  hath  not  that  strength  which  you 
X6iovor0ai.  seem  to  give  it.     You  strain  it  overmuch,  and  yet  it  maketh 

Theophylact  '  J 

expounded,  not  so  much  for  your  purpose.  For  the  same  author  hath 
in  another  place,  rj/mels  ^eraorTOL^eiovfJLeOa^  that  is,  '  We  are 
trans-elemented,  or  transformed  and  changed,  into  the  body 
of  Christ  r1  and  so  by  that  word,  in  such  meaning  as  you 
speak  of,  I  could  prove  as  well  that  we  are  transformed  indeed 
into  the  very  body  of  Christ." 

£l  'O  apTOS,  o  ev  TO?S  [jLva-Trjptois  v(p'  ijunov  eor&o'/uei/os,  ov%i  dvTi- 
TVTTOV  TIT?  TOV  Kvpiov  <rapKo?,  a'/\/\'  avTrj  r]  TOV  Kvpiov  <rdp£'  ov 
r/ctp  elirei'f  OTL  O  apTos  ov  ey<o  oaxrw  dvT'iTVTrov  e<TT\  777?  <ra/OKo<? 
jwv,  a\\  Tl  crdp£  pov  eo-Ti'  fi6Ta7roje?rat  yap  ctTroppqTOis  Aoyoic  o 
tcpTO<?  ccuVo9,  ota  Trjs  /j.u(TTiKfjs  euAo^/ta?  KU\  eTnfyoiTrja-ews  TOV  dyiou 
irveviLciTos  els  o-dpKa  TOV  Kvpiov.  Theophylact,  in  Evan.  Johan. 
cap.  vi.  Ed.  Morelli,  Paris  1631,  p.  651 — 2.  ED.] 


niSPUTATlOX     AT    OXFORD.  -O  I 

Ward:—.  "Learned  master  doctor,  thus  you  expound  the 
place,  c  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,'  i.e.  '  This  is  ray  body,'  that 
is,  a  figure  of  my  body." 

Ridley  :  —  "  Although  I  know  there  be  that  so  expound  it, 
yet  that  exposition  is  not  full  to  express  the  whole/' 
Da-     Ward:—"  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  follow  me. 
ti~       "  But  all  the  sheep  of  Christ  hear  his  voice,  4  This  is 

my  body,'  without  a  figure  : 
si       "Ergo,  The  voice  of  Christ  here  hath  no  figure." 

Ridley  :  —  "  The  sheep  of  Christ  follow  the  voice  of  Christ, 
unless  they  be  seduced  and  deceived  through  ignorance." 

Ward:—  "But  the  fathers  took  this  place  for  no  figurative 
speech." 

Ridley  :  —  "  Yet  they  do  all  number  this  place  among  figu 
rative  and  tropical  speeches." 

Ward:—"  Justin  Martyr,  in  his  second  Apology2,  hath  Jyurstin  Mar- 
thus  :  ov  yap  w?  KOIVOV  aprov  ov$e  KOLVOV  Tro/ma  Tavra  \a/m- 
fidvo/Jiev'  d\\'  bv  Tpoirov  eta  \oyov  Oeov  crapKOTroirjOels 
'Itjcrovs,  o  crcorrjp  rjiu.wi>,  Kai  crdpKa  Kal  al/ma  virep  GWTrjpias 
eerier,  OVTWV  Kal  TIJI>  Si  ev^s  \6you  TOV  Trap'  avTov 
av  Tpo<pr)v,  e%  ry?  aifia  Kal  cra^o/ces  /cara  yuero- 
{3o\t]v  Tpe(povTai  rj/mcoi',  CKeivov  TOV  (TapKOTroitjOevTo^  IT/CTOU 
/cat  capita  Kal  alpa  eciod^OrjfjLev  elvat" 

"  '  Neque  vero  haec  pro  pane  potuve  communi  sumimus  : 
imo  quemadmodum  verbo  Dei  Jesus  Christus,  Servator  noster, 
incarnatus  habuit  pro  salute  nostra  carnem  et  sanguinem; 
ita  per  orationem  illius  verbi  consecratum  hoc  alimentum,  quo 
sanguis  et  caraes  nostrse  per  immutationem  enutriuntur,  ejus- 
dem  incarnati  carnem  et  sanguinem  esse  stimus  edocti.' 

"  This  place  Cranmer  hath  corrupted.  Thus  it  is  Eng 
lished  :  '  For  we  do  not  take  this  for  common  bread  and 
drink  ;  but  like  as  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour,  incarnate  by  the 
word  of  God,  had  flesh  and  blood  for  our  salvation  ;  even  so  we 
be  taught  the  food  wherewith  our  flesh  and  blood  is  nourished 
by  alteration,  when  it  is  consecrated  by  the  prayer  of  his  word, 
to  be  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  same  Jesus  incarnate.' 

"  Dr  Cranmer  hath  thus  translated  it  :  '  Bread,  water,  and  Cranmor 
wine,  are  not  to  bo  taken  as  other  common  meats  and  drinks 


[2  In  modern  editions,  Apolog.  i.  §  G6,  p.  80.     Vcnetiis,  1747*     ED.]    Justin. 


232  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

be,  but  they  be  ordained  purposely  to  give  thanks  to  God, 
and  therefore  be  called  Eucharistia,  and  be  called  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ :  and  that  it  is  lawful  for  none  to  eat 
and  drink  of  them,  but  such  as  profess  Christ,  and  live  accord 
ing  to  the  same ;  and  yet  the  same  meat  and  drink  is  changed 
into  our  flesh  and  blood,  and  nourisheth  our  bodies/" 

Ridley : — "  0  good  master  doctor,  go  sincerely  to  work  : 
I  know  that  place,  and  I  know  how  it  is  used." 

Ward  here  repeated  the  place  again  out  of  Justin,  '  We 
are  taught,'  &c.  as  above. 

Ridley : — "  0  what  unright  dealing  is  this  !  I  have  the 
se^same  place  °f  Justin  here  copied  out.  You  know  your- 
descripto.  geif?  Wh0  are  skilful  in  Greek,  how  the  words  here  be  removed 
out  of  the  right  place ;  and  that  without  any  just  cause." 

Ward: — "I  stand  still  upon  mine  argument.  What  say 
youT 

Ridley : — "  If  you  will,  that  I  should  answer  to  Justin, 
then  you  must  hear.  I  have  but  one  tongue,  I  cannot  answer 
at  once  to  you  all." 

Weston : — "  Christ  gave  us  his  very  and  true  flesh  to  be 
eaten : 

"  But  he  never  gave  it  to  be  eaten  but  in  his  last  supper, 
and  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar : 

"  El'S°>     Thei>e    is    tllG    Vei7    trUG    flesh    °f    Christ." 

Ridley: — "If  you  speak  of  the  very  true  flesh  of  Christ, 
after  tne  substance  of  his  flesh  taken  in  the  womb  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  and  not  by  grace  and  spiritually,  I  then  do 
ita  major  b  deny  *^e  ^rst  Part  °f  your  reason-  But  #  Jou  understand  it 
°f  tne  true  flesh?  a^er  grace  and  spiritual  communication, 
I  then  grant  the  first  part,  and  deny  the  second.  For  he 
giveth  unto  us  truly  his  flesh,  to  be  eaten  of  all  that  believe  in 
him :  for  he  is  the  very  and  true  meat  of  the  soul,  wherewith 
we  are  fed  unto  everlasting  life,  according  to  his  saying,  4  My 
flesh  is  meat  indeed,**  &c." 

Ward:1 — UCI  have  desired  with  my  hearty  desire  to  eat 

desideravi 

maiiSucar*         ^  "  Pr°fessiis  itaque  se  concupiscentia  concupiscere  edere  pascha  ut 

vobiscum."  suum  (indignum  enim  ut  alienum  concupisceret  Deus)  acceptum  panem 

et  distributum  discipulis  corpus  ilium  suum  fecit,  Hoc  est  corpus  nieum, 

dicendo,  etc."    Tertul.  contra  Marcion.  lib.  iv.  cap.  40.     Op.  Ed.  Rigalt. 

Par.  1641,  p.  571.    ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  233 

this  paschal  with  you.'  What  paschal,  I  pray  you,  desired 
he  to  eat  ?  If  you  stand  in  doubt,  you  have  Tertullian  against 
Marcion :  He,  therefore,  protesting  a  great  desire  to  eat  his 
paschal  (his  own  paschal  I  say,  for  it  was  not  meet  that  he 
should  desire  any  other  than  his  own),  taking  bread  and 
distributing  it  to  his  disciples,  made  it  his  body,  saying,  'This 
is  my  body.1  What  say  you?  Did  he  understand  by  this 
paschal  the  Judaical  lamb,  or  by  that  which  afterwards  he 
gave  in  his  supper?" 

Ridley : — "  I  suppose  that  the  first  he  understood  of  the 
Judaical  passover,  and  afterward  of  the  eucharist." 

Ward: — "Nay    then    Tertullian    is    against    you,    who  Argument, 
saith : 

Ba-    '  He  desired  to  eat  his  passover. 
TO-      'But  the  Judaical  passover  was  not  his,  but  strange 

from  Christ : 
co.       '  Ergo,  He  meant  not  of  the  Judaical  passover.1 " 

Ridley : — "  The  Judaical  passover  was  not  strange  from  Answer. 
Christ,  but  his  own ;  insomuch  as  he  is  the  Lord  of  all,  and  as 
well  the  Lord  of  the  Judaical  passover,  as  of  his  own  supper." 

Ward: — "  What  answer  you  then  to  Tertullian,  who  saith, 
'  He  desired  to  eat  his  own  passover,1  and  not  the  Jewish 
passover,  which  stood  upon  words  without  flesh  f1 

Ridley: — "Tertullian  may  here  dally  in  sense  analogical,  ^^g^1 1 
I  know  that  Cyprian  hath  these  words3 :  '  He  began  then  to  which  hath 

*7r  a  hi ?h  and 

institute  the  holy  eucharist,  but  both  were  Christ's.1"  mystical  un 

.  .  derstand- 

Ward: — "Augustine  on  Psalm  xcvi.,  writing  upon  these 
words,  '  Adorate  scabellum  pedum  ejus  \  i.e.  4  Worship  his 
footstool,1  &c.3  *I  ask,1  saith  he,  'what  is  the  footstool 

letter. 

"  Tune  instituit  quidem  eucharistiam,  sed  utrumque  erat  Christi." 
[3  "Qusero,  inquit,  quid  sit  scabellum  pedum  ejus?  Et  dicit  mihi 
Scripture,  Terra  scabellum  pedum  meorum.  Fluctuans  converto  me  ad 
Christum,  quia  ipsum  quaero  hie,  et  invcnio  quomodo  sine  impietate 
adoretur  scabellum  pedum  ejus.  Suscepit  enim  de  terra  terrain,  quia 
caro  de  terra  est,  et  de  carne  Maria:  carnem  accepit,  et  quia  in  ipsa 
carne  hie  ambulavit,  et  ipsam  carnem  nobis  maiiducandam  ad  salutem 
dedit:  nemo  autem  illam  carnem  manducat  nisi  prius  adoraverit.  In- 
ventum  est  quomodo  tale  scabellum  pedum  Domini  adoretur,  ut  non 
solum  non  peccemus  adorando,  sed  peccemus  non  adorando  ipsum,"  etc. 
S.  August,  in  Psal.  xcviii.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn.  iv.  col.  lG04*-o. 
ED.] 


2-34  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

his  feet;   and  the   Scripture   telleth  me,    The   earth   is  the 

footstool  of  my  feet.     And  so,  in  searching  thereof,  I  turn 

myself  to  Christ,  because  I  seek  him  here  in  the  earth,  and 

find  how,  without  impiety,  the  footstool  of  his  feet  may  be 

worshipped.     For  he  took  earth  of  earth,  in  that  he  is  flesh 

of  the  earth,  and  of  the  flesh  of  Mary  he  took  flesh,  and 

because  that  in  the  same  flesh  here  he  walked;  and  also  he 

gave  the  same  flesh  to  us,  to  be  eaten  unto  salvation.     But 

no  man  eateth  that  flesh  except  he  have  worshipped  before. 

And  so  it  is  found,  how  such  a  footstool  of  the  feet  of  the 

Lord  is  to  be  worshipped,  so  that  not  only  we  sin  not  in 

worshipping,  but  also  do  sin  in  not  worshipping  the  same." 

Da-     "  He  gave  to  us  his  flesh  to  be  eaten,  the  which  he 

took  of  the  earth,  in  which  also  here  he  walked,  &c. 

ti~       "But  he  never  gave  his  flesh  to  be  eaten,  but  when 

he  gave  it  at  his  supper,  saying,  '  This  is  my  body  :  ' 

if  the  minor  si-       "  Ergo,  In  the  eucharist  he  gave  us  his  flesh." 

merit  (as  is         Ridley  :  —  "  You  do  allege  the  place  of  Augustine  upon 

beequipoi-  Psalm  xcviii.,  where  he  saith,  that  Christ  gave  his  flesh  to 

finnative,     be  eaten  which  he  took   of  the   earth,   and   in  which  here 

cometh  next  he  walked  ;    inferring;  hereupon  that  Christ   never   s;ave   the 

to  the  mood  & 

Datisi.        same  his  flesh  to  be   eaten,   but   only   in   the   eucharist  :    I 

How  Christ  J 


m 

lesh  tobe    ^er]^  ^°U1%  mmor  ;  ^or   ne  £ave  J*  koth  in  the  eucharist  to 
eaten,  and    be  eaten,  and  also  otherwise,  as  well  in  the  word,  as  also 

when. 

upon  the  cross." 

Smith:  —  "What  if  Augustine  say,  that  Christ  did  not 
only  give  himself  to  us  in  a  figure,  but  gave  his  own  very 
flesh  indeed  and  really  2" 

Ridley  :  —  "  I  never  said  that  Christ  gave  only  a  figure  of 
his  body  ;  for  indeed  he  gave  himself  in  a  real  communication, 
that  is,  he  gave  his  flesh  after  a  communication  of  his  flesh." 

(Here  Weston  read  the  place  of  Augustine  in  English, 
and  afterward  said,  "  Ye  say  Christ  gave  not  his  body,  but 
a  figure  of  his  body.") 

Ridley  :  —  "  I  say  not  so  :  I  say,  he  gave  his  own  body 
verily;  but  he  gave  it  by  a  real,  effectual,  and  spiritual 

communication." 
.( 

i>r  Giyn,  After  this,  Dr  Glyn  began  to  reason,  who  (notwithstand- 

ley'soid      ing  master  Eidley  had  always  taken  him  for  his  old  friend) 


DIS1MTTATIOX     AT    OXFORD. 

made  a  very  contumelious  preface  against  him.  This  preface 
master  Ridley,  therefore,  did  the  more  take  to  heart,  because 
it  proceeded  from  him.  Howheit  he  thought,  that  Dr  Glyn' 
mind  was  to  serve  the  turn ;  for  afterward  he  came  to  the 
house  wherein  master  Ridley  was  kept,  and,  as  far  as  master 
Ridley  could  call  to  remembrance,  before  Dr  Young  and 
Dr  Oglethorpe  he  desired  him  to  pardon  his  words.  The 
which  master  Ridley  did  even  from  the  very  heart ;  and 
wished  earnestly,  that  God  would  give  not  only  to  him,  but 
unto  all  others,  the  true  and  evident  knowledge  of  God's 
evangelical  sincerity,  that,  all  offences  put  apart,  they  being 
perfectly  and  fully  reconciled,  might  agree  and  meet  together 
in  the  house  of  the  heavenly  Father. 

Glyn : — "  I  see  that  you  elude  or  shift  away  all  Scrip 
tures  and  fathers :  I  will  go  to  work  with  you  after  another 
sort: — Christ  hath  here  his  church  known  in  earth,  of  which 
you  were  once  a  child,  although  now  you  speak  contumeliously 
of  the  sacraments." 

Ridley : — "  This  is  a  grievous  contumely,  that  you  call  me 
a  shifter  away  of  the  Scripture  and  of  the  doctors.  As 
touching  the  sacraments,  I  never  yet  spake  contumeliously  of 
them.  I  grant  that  Christ  hath  here  his  church  in  earth; 
but  that  church  did  ever  receive  and  acknowledge  the  eu- 
charist  to  be  a  sacrament  of  the  body  of  Christ,  yet  not 
the  body  of  Christ  really,  but  the  body  of  Christ  by  grace." 

Glyn: — "Then  I  ask  this  question:  whether  the  catholic 
church  hath  ever  or  at  any  time  been  idolatrous  f 

Ridley : — "  The  church  is  the  pillar  and  stay  of  the  truth, 
that  never  yet  hath  been  idolatrous  in  respect  of  the  whole ; 
but,  peradventure,  in  respect  of  some  part  thereof,  which 
sometimes  may  be  seduced  by  evil  pastors,  and  through  ig 
norance." 

Glyn: — "That  church  ever  hath  worshipped  the  flesh  of 
Christ  in  the  eucharist. 

"But  the  church  hath  never  been  idolatrous: 

"Ergo,   It  hath  alway  kidded  the  flesh  of  Christ  to  be"Thisarffu- 

,  ,        .  °  incnt,  hav- 

111  the  eucharist.  ing  the  mi 

nor  a  ne^a- 
Ridley:—  "And  I  also  worship  Christ  in  the  sacrament,  jf^^Jjf 

but  not  because  he  is  included  in  the  sacrament :  like  as  I iu  the  third 


236  DISPUTATION     AT    OXFORD. 

figure,  nor  worship  Christ  also  in  the  Scriptures,  not  because  he  is 
elude  right-  really  included  in  them.  Notwithstanding  I  say,  that  the 

ly  but 

should  con-  body  of  Christ  is  present  in  the  sacrament  ;  but  yet  sacra- 

cludethus:  J  i         •  •        «  •  • 

ergo,  to       mentally  and  spiritually  (according  to  his  grace)  giving  hie, 

worship  the  .     J  J    ^  .  &  &          '    ?         5       . 

flesh  of  and  in  that  respect  really,  that  is,  according  to  his  benedic- 
eucharistis  tion,  giving  life.  Furthermore,  I  acknowledge  gladly  the 
try."—  true  body  of  Christ  to  be  in  the  Lord's  supper,  in  such 

SSumptum 

-  sort  as  the  Church  of  Christ  (which  is  the  spouse  of  Christ, 


maim  de-  an(j  is  taught  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  guided  by  God's  word) 
doth  acknowledge  the  same.  But  the  true  church  of  Christ  doth 
acknowledge  a  presence  of  Christ's  body  in  the  Lord's  supper 
to  be  communicated  to  the  godly  by  grace,  and  spiritually,  as 
I  have  often  shewed,  and  by  a  sacramental  signification  ;  but 
not  by  the  corporal  presence  of  the  body  of  his  flesh." 

Glyn  :  —  "  Augustine  against  Faustus  [saith,]  *  i  Some  there 
were  which  thought  us,  instead  of  bread  and  of  the  cup,  to 
worship  Ceres  and  Bacchus."  Upon  this  place  I  gather,  that 
there  was  an  adoration  of  the  sacrament  among  the  fathers  ; 
and  Erasmus,  in  an  epistle  to  the  brethren  of  Low  Ger 
many,  saith,  that  the  worshipping  of  the  sacrament  was  be 
fore  Augustine  and  Cyprian." 

Ridley  :  —  "  We  do  handle  the  signs  reverently  :  but  we 
worship  the  sacrament  as  a  sacrament,  not  as  a  thing  sig 
nified  by  the  sacrament." 

Glyn  :  —  "  What  is  the  symbol  or  sacrament  2" 

Ridley:—"  Bread." 

This  word          Glyn  :  —  "Ergo,  We  worship  bread." 
distinguish-        Ridley  :  —  "  There  is   a  deceit  in  this  word   '  adoramus.' 
We  worship  the  symbols,  when  reverently  we  handle  them. 
We  worship  Christ  wheresoever  we  perceive  his  benefits  ;  but 
we  understand  his  benefits  to  be  greatest  in  the  sacrament." 

Glyn  :  —  "  So  I  may  fall  clown  before  the  bench  here,  and 
worship  Christ;  and  if  any  man  ask  me  what  I  do,  I  may 
answer,  I  worship  Christ." 

Eidley  :  —  "  We  adore  and  worship  Christ  in  the  eucharist. 
And  if  you  mean  the  external  sacrament;  I  say,  that  also 
is  to  be  worshipped  as  a  sacrament." 

[x  "  Nonnulli  propter  panem  et  caliccm  Cererem  et  Bacchum  nos 
colere  existimabat,"  etc.  August,  contra  Faust,  lib.  xx.  cap.  IS.  Op. 
Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685,  torn.  viii.  col.  342.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION     AT    OXFORD. 


287 


Glyn:  —  "So  was  the  faith  of  the  primitive  church.11 

Ridley:—"  Would  to  God  we  would  all  follow  the  faith 
of  that  church  !" 

Glyn  :  —  "  Think  you  that  Christ  hath  now  his  church  2" 

Ridley:—  "I    do   so.1' 

Glyn:  —  "But  all  the  church  adoreth  Christ  verily  and 
really  in  the  sacrament.11 

Ridley  :  "  You  know  yourself,  that  the  eastern  church 
would  not  acknowledge  transubstantiation  ;  as  appeareth  in  J 

the   COUncil   Of  Florence."  years,  in  the 

time  of  the 

Cole  :—  "  That  is  false  :  for  in  the  same  they  did  acknow-  grandi  Of 
ledge  transubstantiation  ;  although  they  would  not  entreat  of 
that  matter,  for  that  they  had  not   in  their  commission   so 
to  do.11 

Ridley  :  —  "  Nay,  they  would  determine  nothing  of  that 
matter,  when  the  article  was  propounded  unto  them.11 

Cole  :  —  "  It  was  not  because  they  did  not  acknowledge 
the  same,  but  because  they  had  no  commission  so  to  do.11 

Curtop:  —  "Reverend  Sir,  I  will  prove  and  declare,  that 
the  body  of  Christ  is  truly  and  really  in  the  eucharist  :  and 
whereas  the  holy  fathers,  both  of  the  west  and  east  church, 
have  written  both  many  things  and  no  less  manifest  of  the 
same  matter,  yet  will  I  bring  forth  only  Clirysostom.  The 
place  is  this2  : 

"  That  which  is  in  the  cup,  is  the  same  that  flowed  from 
the  side  of  Christ. 

"  But  true  and  pure  blood  did  flow  from  the  side  of 
Christ  : 

"  Ergo,  His  true  and  pure  blood  is  in  the  cup.11  JhmHT 

Ridley:—  "It  is  his  true  blood  which  is  in  the  chalice,  thus:  what- 

*  '  soever  did 

I  grant,  and  the  same  which  sprang  from  the  side  of  Christ.  J 
But  how  ?     It  is  blood  indeed,  but  not  after  the  same  man- 
ner,  after  which  manner  it  sprang  from  his  side.     For  here  or 


is  the  blood,  but  by  way  of  a  sacrament. —A gain  I  say,  like  jj^^Jff 
as  the  bread  of  the  sacrament  and  of  thanksgiving  is  called  JjjSlS 
the  body  of  Christ  given  for  us ;  so  the  cup  of  the  Lord  is 
called  the  blood  which  sprang  from  the  side  of  Christ:    but 

1  OVTO    TO     tl/     TTOTrjplW     <j|/,     CK6?I/O      €ffT\     TO     OLTTO     TtjS     7T\6UO«? 

pcva-av   KOI  enc'ivov  ^ere^o/iei/.     S.Chrys.  in  cap.  x.  Cor.  1.  Horn.  xxiv. 
Op.  Ed.  Bon.  Par.  1732,  torn.  x.  pp.  212— 1H.     En.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 


™ntacfn- 


spiritual^ 
flesh  of  ll 


that  sacramental  bread  is  called  the  body,  because  it  is  the 
sacrament  of  his  body.  Even  so  likewise  the  cup  is  called 
the  blood  also,  which  flowed  out  of  Christ's  side,  because  it 
is  the  sacrament  of  that  blood  which  flowed  out  of  his  side, 
instituted  of  the  Lord  himself  for  our  singular  commodity, 
namely,  for  our  spiritual  nourishment  ;  like  as  baptism  is 
ordained  in  water  to  our  spiritual  regeneration." 

Curtop  :  —  "  The  sacrament  of  the  blood  is  not  the  blood." 
Ridley  :  —  "  The   sacrament   of  the  blood  is    the    blood  ; 
and  that  is  attributed  to  the  sacrament,  which  is  spoken  of 
the  thing  of  the  sacrament." 

(Here  Weston  repeateth  Curtop's  argument  in  English.) 
Weston  :—  "  That  which  is  in  the   chalice,   is  the   same 

which  flowed  out  of  Christ's  side. 
"  But  there  came  out  very  blood  : 
"  Ergo,  There  is  very  blood  in  the  chalice." 
Eidley  :—  "  The  blood  of  Christ  is  in  the  chalice  indeed, 

but  not  in  the  real  presence,  but  by  grace,  and  in  a  sacra 

ment." 

Weston:  —  "That  is  very  well.     Then  we  have  blood  in 

the  chalice." 

Ridley  :  —  "  It  is  true  ;  but  by  grace,  and  in  a  sacrament." 

(Here  the  people  hissed  at  him.) 

Eidley  :  —  "  0  my  masters  !  I  take  this  for  no  judgment  : 
I  will  stand  to  God's  judgment." 

Watson  :  —  "  Good  sir,  I  have  determined  to  have  respect 
of  the  time,  and  to  abstain  from  all  those  things  which  may 
hinder  the  entrance  of  our  disceptation  :  and  therefore  first  I 
ask  this  question:  When  Christ  said  in  John  vi.,  'He  that 
eateth  my  flesh,'  &c.,  doth  he  signify  in  those  words  the 
eating  of  his  true  and  natural  flesh,  or  else  of  the  bread  and 
symbol  2" 

Ridley:—  "I  understand  that  place  of  the  very  flesh  of 
Christ  to  be  eaten,  but  spiritually:  and  further  I  say,  that 
the  sacrament  also  pertaineth  unto  the  spiritual  manduca- 
tion  :  for  without  the  spirit  to  eat  the  sacrament  is  to  eat 
it  unprofitably  ;  for  whoso  eateth  not  spiritually,  he  eateth 
his  own  condemnation." 


iilsI'ITTATION     AT    OXFORD. 

Watson:  —  "I  ask  then,  whether  the  eucharist  be  a  sacra  - 
lent?" 

Ridley:  —  "The  eucharist,  taken  for  a  sign  or  symbol,  is 
sacrament.1" 

Watson:—  "Is  it  instituted  of  God?" 

Ridley:—  "It  is   instituted  of  God." 

Watson  :—  "  Where  ?" 

Ridley:  —  "In  the  supper." 

Watson  :  —  "  With  what  words  is  it  made  a  sacrament  ?" 

Ridley  :  —  "  By  the  words  and  deeds  which  Christ  said 
and  did,  and  commanded  us  to  say  and  do  the  same." 

Watson:  —  "It  is  a  thing  commonly  received  of  all,  that 
the  sacraments  of  the  new  law  give  grace  to  them  that 
worthily  receive." 

Ridley  :  —  "  True  it  is,  that  grace  is  given  by  the  sacra 
ment  ;  but  as  by  an  instrument.  The  inward  virtue  and  Christ 
give  the  grace  through  the  sacrament." 

Watson  :  —  "  What  is  a  sacrament  2" 

Ridley  :  —  "  I   remember  there  be  many  definitions  of  a  sacrament 
sacrament  in  Agustine  :  but  I  will  take  that  which  seemeth 
most  fit  to  this  present  purpose.     A  sacrament  is  a  visible 
sign  of  invisible  grace." 

Watson  :  —  "  Ergo,  Grace  is  given  to  the  receivers." 

Ridley  :  —  "  The  society  or  conjunction  with  Christ  through 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  grace  ;  and  by  the  sacrament  we  are  made 
the  members  of  the  mystical  body  of  Christ,  for  that  by  the 
sacrament  the  part  of  the  body  is  grafted  in  the  head." 

Watson:  —  "But  there  is  difference  between  the  mystical 
body  and  natural  body." 

Ridley  :  —  "  There  is,  I  grant  you,  a  difference  ;  but  the 
head  of  them  both  is  one." 

Watson  :  —  •"  The    eucharist  is    a   sacrament  of  the  new  Argument. 
testament  : 

"Ergo,    It  hath  a  promise  of  grace.  Thesyiio- 

,.  T>    i  .  .  ,  ,  prism  is  thus 

•  .but  no  promise  of  grace  is  made  to  bread  and  wine  :  to  be  form- 

pj         TMlP  en 

"Ergo,  Bread  and  wine   be  not  the  sacraments  of  thecramentof 

,  „  the  New 

new  testament.  Testament 

T>  '  J  1  T  -i  i  hath  a  pro- 

liiatey  :  —  u  1  grant  that  grace  pertameth  to  the  eucharist,  mjseof 
according  to   this  saying,    'The  bread  which  we  break,  fe 


not  the  communication  or  partaking  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?'"  wine  have 


240  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD, 


o?«?raceise  ^nc*  ^ke  as  ^e  ^iat  eateth  an(*  he  that  drinketh  unwor- 
?rfoexbdekd  th%  tne  sacrament  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  eateth 
nodsacra-  is  anc^  drinketli  his  own  damnation  ;  even  so  he  that  eateth 


6-  and  drinketh  worthily,  eateth  life,  and  drinketh  life.  I  grant 
a^so  *na*  there  is  no  promise  made  to  bread  and  wine.  But 
bread  and  inasmuch  as  they  are  sanctified,  and  made  the  sacraments 
be"  ommony  °^  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  they  have  a  promise  of 
common*  grace  annexed  unto  them;  namely,  of  spiritual  partaking  of 
as  tbeybbe  tne  body  of  Christ  to  be  communicated  and  given,  not  to 
the  bread  and  wine,  but  to  them  which  worthily  do  receive 
the  sacrament." 

bTodod,athey  Watson  :—  "  If  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine  do  re- 
caTieKead  main,  then  the  society  betwixt  Christ  and  us  is  promised  to 
but  have  a  them  that  take  bread  and  wine. 

SXSuo*11         "  But  that  society  is  not  promised  to  bread  and  wine,  but 
ther  (to'say"  to  the  receivers  of  the  flesh  and  blood  :  '  Qui  manducat,'  &c. 
annexed  to         "  Ergo,  The  substance  of  bread  and  wine  remaineth  not." 
en  of  them.        Ridley  :  —  "  The  promise  undoubtedly  is  made  to  the  flesh 
and  the  blood  ;  but  the  same  is  to  be  received  in  the  sacra 
ment  through  faith.'" 

Watson:  —  "Every  sacrament  hath  a  promise  of  grace 
annexed  unto  it  ;  but  bread  and  wine  have  not  a  promise 
of  grace  annexed  unto  them  : 

"  Ergo,  The  bread  and  wine  are  not  sacraments." 
Ridley:  —  "True   it  is,   every  sacrament  hath  grace  an- 
nexed   unto   it   instrumentally.     But   there   is    divers    under- 
absSu'td£   standing   of  this   word   'habet,1    'hath:1   for  the   sacrament 
nath  n°t  grace  included  in  it  ;  but  to  those  that  receive  it 
well,  it  is  turned  to  grace.     After  that  manner  the  water  in 
baptism  hath  grace  promised,  and  by  that  grace  the  Holy 
Spirit   is   given  :    not  that  grace   is   included   in  water,  but 
that  grace  cometh  by  water." 

Watson  :  —  "  This  promise  is  made  to  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  Christ,  and  not  to  the  bread  and  wine  : 

"  Ergo,  The  sacrament  is  not  bread  and  wine,  but  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ." 

Ridley  :  —  "  There  is  no  promise  made  to  him  that  taketh 
common  bread  and  common  wine  ;  but  to  him  that  receiveth 
the  sanctified  bread,  and  bread  of  the  communion,  there  is 
a  large  promise  of  grace  made  :  neither  is  the  promise  given 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 


241 


to  the  symbols,  but  to  the  thing   of  the  sacrament.     But 
the  thing  of  the  sacrament  is  the  flesh  and  blood.11 

Watson  :  —  "  Every  sacrament  of  the  new  testament  giveth 
grace,  promised  of  God  to  those  that  worthily  receive  it." 

Ridley  :—  "  This  sacrament  hath  a  promise  of  grace,  made 
to  those  that  receive  it  worthily,  because  grace  is  given  by  ™e£*.  of 
it,  as  by  an  instrument  ;  not  that  Christ  hath  transfused  grace 
into  the  bread  and  wine." 

Watson:  —  "But  this  promise  which  is  made,  is  not  but 
to  those  that  worthily  receive  the  flesh  and  blood  ;  not  the 
bread  and  wine." 

Ridley  :  —  "  That  proposition  of  yours  hath  a  divers  un 
derstanding.  There  is  no  promise  made  to  them  that  receive 
common  bread,  as  it  were;  but  to  those  that  worthily  re 
ceive  the  sanctified  bread  there  is  a  promise  of  grace  made, 
like  as  Origen  doth  testify." 

Watson  :—  "  Where  is  that  promise  made  ?" 
Ridley  :  —  "  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  a  com-  1  cfor.  x. 
munication   of  the  body  of   Christ?     And   we  being  many 
are  one  bread,  one  body  of  Christ." 

Watson  :  —  "  What  doth  he  mean  by  bread  in  that  place  2" 
Ridley  :  —  "  The  bread  of  the  Lord's  table,  the  communion 
of  the  body  of  Christ." 

Watson:—  "Hearken  what  Chrysostom  saith  upon  that 
place1:  'The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  com 
munication  of  Christ's  bodyf  Wherefore  did  he  not  say 
participation?  Because  he  would  signify  some  greater 
matter,  and  that  he  would  declare  a  great  convenience  and 
conjunction  betwixt  the  same.  For  we  do  not  commu 
nicate  by  participation  only  and  receiving,  but  also  by  co- 
uniting;  for  likewise  as  that  body  is  co-united  to  Christ, 
so  also  we,  by  the  same  bread,  are  conjoined  and  united 
to  him." 


J  «/JTO<?  ov  K/Xw^ei/,  ou^l  ttoivuvla  rou  ffia}j,a-ro<;  rov  Xpia-rov 
ecrri;  cid  TL  ^  dire  /lero^,,';  on  ir\eov  vi  d^Wcu  »//3ou/\»j0»/,  KCU 
iro\\ijv  evoetgaa-Sat  TI/I;  vvvdtyctav  ov  yap  TW  /.lere'^c^  povov  KCU 
prraAap/2areiy,  aAAa  Kai  TW  evovvdat  Koivtavovpev.  xaOdTrep  jdp  rJ 
o-to/^a  CKCIVO  rjvwTai  TM  Xpiarta,  ovrw  oe  tjjJLe^  auVw  Ota  TOV  cip-rou 
TOVTOV  evov>LCQa.  S.  Chrysost.  Horn,  xxiv,  in  1  Coriiith.  cap.  x.  Op. 
Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1"18.  torn.  x.  p.  21-3.  Kn.] 

16 
[RIDLEY.] 


242 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 


tom- 


chrysos- 

torn:  one 

mvstdicaine    at  one  board, 

body. 


A  cavil. 


Ridley  :  —  "  Let  Chrysostom  have  his  manner  of  speaking 
and  his  sentence.  If  it  be  true,  I  reject  it  not.  But  let  it 
not  be  prejudicial  to  me,  to  name  it  true  bread." 

Watson  :  —  "  '  All,1  saith  Chrysostom,  '  which  sit  together 

J  ° 

communicate  together  of  one  true  body. 
What  do  I  call,'  saith  he,  'this  communicating?  We  are 
all  the  selfsame  body.  What  doth  bread  signify  ?  The  body 
of  Christ.  What  be  they  that  receive  it?  The  body  of 
Christ:  for  many  are  but  one  body.'  Chrysostom  doth  inter 
pret  this  place  against  you  :  '  All  we  be  one  bread  and  one 
mystical  body,  which  do  participate  together  one  bread  of 
Christ1.'" 

Ridley:  —  "All  we  be  one  mystical  body,  which  do  com 
municate  of  one  Christ  in  bread,  after  the  efficacy  of  regene 
ration  or  quickening." 

Watson  :  —  "  Of  what  manner  of  bread  speaketh  he  ?" 

Ridley  :—  "  Of  the  bread  of  the  Lord's  table." 

Watson  :—  -  "  Is  not  that  bread  one  ?" 

Ridley:  —  "It  is  one,  the  church  being  one;  because 
one  bread  is  set  forth  upon  the  table  :  and  so  of  one  bread 
all  together  do  participate,  which  communicate  at  the  table 
of  the  Lord." 

Watson:  —  "See  how  absurdly  you  speak.  Do  you  say, 
all  which  be  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  world?" 

Ridley:  —  "All,  I  say,  which  at  one  table  together  have 
communicated  in  the  mysteries  might  well  so  do.  Albeit  the 
heavenly  and  celestial  bread  is  likewise  one  also,  whereof  the 
sacramental  bread  is  a  mystery  :  the  which,  being  one,  all  we 
together  do  participate." 

Watson:  —  "A  perverse  answer.  Which  'all'?  Mean 
you  all  Christian  men?" 

Ridley:  —  "I  do  distribute  this  word  'all;'  for  all  were 
wont  together  to  communicate  of  the  one  bread  divided  into 
parts:  all,  I  say,  which  were  in  one  congregation,  and  which 
all  did  communicate  together  at  one  table." 

Q1  Tt  jap  Aeyo)  Koivtaviav,  (pti<riv,  avro  e'cy^et/  eKeiVo  TO  ff(afj.a. 
ri  jap  e<TTLi>  o  a'yOTo?  ;  awfjia  \pia"rov.  <ri  Be  yivovTai  ol  /xeraAajU- 
/3aVoi'T6?  ;  o-w/*a  XjOto-rou,  ovjfi  creo/jara  TroAAa  ccAAa  crto/^a  eV. 
S.  Chrysost.  Horn.  xxiv.  in  1  Corinth,  cap,  x,  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1718. 
tom.  x.  p.  213.  ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  243 

Watson : — "  What  ?  Do  you  exclude  then  from  the  body 
of  Christ  all  them  which  did  not  communicate,  being  present  f 

Fedcnam: — "But  Cyprian  saith2,  'Bread  which  no  mul 
titude  doth  consume:1  which  cannot  be  understood  but  only 
of  the  body  of  Christ." 

Eidley: — "Also  Cyprian  in  this  place  did  speak  of  the 
true  body  of  Christ,  and  not  of  material  bread." 

Fecknam: — "Nay,  rather  he  did  there  entreat  of  the  sa 
crament  in  that  tractation  '  De  Coena  Domini,'  writing  upon 
the  supper  of  the  Lord." 

Ridley : — "  Truth  it  is,  and  I  grant  he  entreateth  there 
of  the  sacrament :  but  also  he  doth  admix  something  there 
withal  of  the  spiritual  manducation." 

Smith : — "  When  the  Lord  saith,  '  This  is  my  body,'  he 
useth  no  tropical  speech: 

"  Ergo,  You  are  deceived." 

Eidley: — "I  deny  your  antecedent." 

Smith : — "  I  bring  here  Augustine  expounding  these  words, 
'  He  was  carried  in  his  own  hands3  :'  How  may  this  be  un 
derstood  to  be  done  in  man?  For  no  man  is  carried  in  his 
own  hands,  but  in  the  hands  of  other.  How  this  may  be 
understood  of  David  after  the  letter,  we  do  not  find;  of 
Christ  we  find  it.  For  Christ  was  borne  in  his  own  hands, 
when  he  saith,  '  This  is  my  body :'  for  he  carried  that  same 
body  in  his  own  hands,  &c.  Augustine  here  did  not  see 
how  this  place,  after  the  letter,  could  be  understood  of  David ; 
because  no  man  can  carry  himself  in  his  own  hands.  '  There 
fore,'  saith  he,  'this  place  is  to  be  understood  of  Christ  after 
the  letter.'  For  Christ  carried  himself  in  his  own  hands  in 
his  supper,  when  he  gave  the  sacrament  to  his  disciples,  say 
ing,  'This  is  my  body.'" 

Ridley:— "I  deny  your  argument,  and  I  explicate  the 
same.  Augustine  could  not  find,  after  his  own  understanding, 

[2  "Nulla  panem  hunc  multitude  consumit."  Cyprian,  de  Ccena 
Dom.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1726.  col.  cxv.  ED.] 

[3  "  Hoc  vero,  fratres,  quomodo  possit  fieri  in  homine,  quis  intelligat? 
Manibus  enim  suis  nemo  portatur,  sed  alienis.  Quomodo  intelligatur  de 
David  secundum  literam,  non  invenimus ;  de  Christo  autem  invenimus. 
Ferebatur  enim  Christus  in  manibus  suis  cum  diceret,  Hoc  est  corpus 
meum.  Ferebat  enim  illud  corpus  in  manibus  suis/'  etc.  S.  Aug.  in 
xxxiii.  En.  1.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685.  torn.  iv.  col.  214.  ED.] 

16—2 


244  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

how  this  could  be  understood  of  David  after  the  letter.  Augus 
tine  goeth  here  from  others  in  this  exposition,  but  I  go  not  from 
him.  But  let  this  exposition  of  Augustine  be  granted  to  you ; 
although  I  know  this  place  of  Scripture  be  otherwise  read 
of  other  men,  after  the  verity  of  the  Hebrew  text,  and  it  is 
also  otherwise  to  be  expounded.  Yet,  to  grant  to  you  this 
exposition  of  Augustine,  I  say  yet  notwithstanding,  it  maketh 
nothing  against  my  assertion :  for  Christ  did  bear  himself  in 
his  own  hands,  when  he  gave  the  sacrament  of  his  body  to 
be  eaten  of  his  disciples." 

Smith : — "  Ergo,  It  is  true  of  Christ  after  the  letter,  that 
he  was  borne  in  his  own  hands." 

Ridley: — "He  was  borne  literally,  and  after  that  letter 
which  was  spoken  of  David :  but  not  after  the  letter  of  these 
words,  '  Hoc  est  corpus  meum.' 

"  *  £rant  that  St  Augustme  saith> that  ifc  ^  not  found  liter- 
Aval  carried  a^^  °^  -^av^'  that  ^e  can'ied  himself  in  his  own  hands,  and 
hLSb^X  that  it;  is  found  of  Christ-   But  this  word  ' ad  literam,' '  literally,' 
i!e? Saiiy  ^ou  do  not  we^  re^er  to  ^iat  w^c^  was  borne,  but  rather  it 
ought  to  be  referred  to  him  that  did  bear  it.     St  Augustine's 
meaning  is  this ;   that  it  is  not  read  anywhere  in  the  Bible, 
that  this  carnal  David,  the  Son  of  Jesse,  did  bear  himself  in 
his  hands ;  but  of  that  spiritual  David,  that  overthrew  Goliath 
the  devil  (that  is.  of  Christ  our  Saviour,  the  son  of  the  Virgin), 
it  may  well  be  found  literally,  that  he  bare  himself  in  his 
own  hands  after  a  certain  manner,  namely,  in  carrying  the  sa 
crament  of  himself.     And  note,  that  St  Augustine  hath  these 
words,  '  quodam  modo,'  4  after  a  certain  manner ;'  which  mani 
festly  declare,  how  the  doctor's  meaning  is  to  be  taken." 

Smith : — "  When  then  was  he  borne  in  his  own  hands, 
and  after  what  letter?" 

Ridley : — "  He  was  borne  in  the  supper  sacramentally, 
when  he  said,  'This  is  my  body.'" 

A %ure he         Smith: — "  Every  man  may  bear  in  his  own  hands  a  figure 
but  not  a'    of  his  body.     But  Augustine  denieth  that  David  could  carry 

sacrament.  .     .    J    . 

himself  in  his  hands : 

"  Ergo,  He  speaketh  of  no  figure  of  his  body." 
Ridley : — "  If  Augustine  could  have  found  in  all  the  Scrip 
ture,  that  David  had  carried  the  sacrament  of  his  body,  then 
he  would  never  have  used  that  exposition  of  Christ." 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  245 

Smith : — "  But  he  did  bare  himself  in  his  own  hands : 

"  Ergo,  He  did  not  bear  a  figure  only." 

Eidley : — "  He  did  bear  himself,  but  in  a  sacrament :  and 
Augustine  afterward  addeth,  'quodam  raodo,'  that  is,  'sacra- 
mentally.1 " 

Smith : — "  You  understand  not  what  Augustine  meant 
when  he  said,  '  quodam  modo  ;'  for  he  meant,  that  he  did 
bear  his  very  true  body  in  that  supper,  not  in  figure  and 
form  of  a  body,  but  in  form  and  figure  of  bread : 

"Ergo,  You  are  holden  fast,  neither  are  you  able  to 
escape  out  of  this  labyrinth." 

Dr  Weston  repeated  this  place  again  in  English :  which 
done,  then  Dr  Tresham  began  thus  to  speak,  moved  (as  it 
seemed  to  master  Ridley)  with  great  zeal;  and  desired  that 
he  might  be  in  the  stead  of  John  Baptist,  in  converting  the 
hearts  of  the  fathers,  and  in  reducing  the  said  Bishop  Ridley 
again  to  the  mother  church.  Now  at  the  first,  not  know 
ing  the  person,  he  thought  he  had  been  some  good  old  man, 
which  had  the  zeal  of  God,  although  not  according  to  know 
ledge,  and  began  to  answer  him  with  mansuetude  and  reve 
rence :  but  afterward  he  smelled  a  fox  under  a  sheep's 
clothing. 

Tresham : — "  God  Almighty  grant  that  it  may  be  fulfilled  T™shahmfo 
in  me,  that  was  spoken  by  the  prophet  Malachi  of  John 
Baptist,  '  Which  may  turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the 
children,  and  the  hearts  of  the  children  to  their  fathers,  that 
you  at  length  may  be  converted.1  The  wise  man  saith,  '  Son, 
honour  thy  father,  and  reverence  thy  mother:'  but  you  dis 
honour  your  Father  in  heaven,  and  pollute  your  mother  the 
holy  church  here  on  earth,  while  ye  set  nought  by  her." 

Eidley: — "These  bye  words  do  pollute  your  school." 

Tresham : — "  If  there  were  an  Arian  which  had  that  subtle 
wit  that  you  have,  he  might  soon  shift  off  the  authority  of 
the  Scriptures  and  fathers." 

Weston : — "  Either  dispute,  or  else  hold  your  peace,  I  pray 
you." 

Tresham: — "I  bring  a  place  here  out  of  the  council  of  The  decree 

T  .          ,  .   ,  .      '  of  the  Late- 

Lateran,  the  which  council  representing  the  universal  church,  ™»  council 


246  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

tnufedfor  wnerem  were  congregated  three  hundred  bishops  and  seventy 
stantiation.  metropolitans,  besides  a  great  multitude  of  others,  decreed 
that  bread  and  wine,  by  the  power  of  God's  word,  was 
transubstantiate  into  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord.  There 
fore  whosoever  saith  contrary,  cannot  be  a  child  of  the  church, 
but  a  heretic." 

Ibid-  Ridley: — "Good  sir,  I  have  heard  what  you  have  cited 

out  of  the  council  of  Lateran,  and  remember  that  there  was 
a  great  multitude  of  bishops  and  metropolitans,  as  you  said: 
but  yet  you  have  not  numbered  how  many  abbots,  priors, 
and  friars  were  in  that  council,  who  were  to  the  number  of 
eight  hundred." 

carping.  Qm  Of  t]ie  Scribes :— "What!    will  you  deny  then  the 

authority  of  that  council,  for  the  multitude  of  those  priors?" 

Ridley: — "No,  sir,  not  so  much  for  that  cause,  as  for 
that,  especially,  because  the  doctrine  of  that  council  agreed 
not  with  the  word  of  God,  as  it  may  well  appear  by  the 
acts  of  that  council,  which  was  holden  under  Innocent  the 
Third,  a  man  (if  we  believe  the  histories)  most  pernicious 
to  the  church  and  commonwealth  of  Christ." 

Latueran.°f  TresJiam :— "  What !  do  you  not  receive  the  council  of 
Lateran?"  Whereupon  he,  with  certain  others,  cried,  "Scri 
bite,  scribite,"  Write,  write. 

Ridley: — "No,  sir,  I  receive  not  that  council;  'scribite, 
et  rescribite,1  write,  and  write  again." 

Tresham : — "  Evil  men  do  eat  the  natural  body  of  Christ : 
ergo,  the  true  and  natural  body  of  Christ  is  on  the  altar." 

Ridley : — "  Evil  men  do  eat  the  very  true  and  natural 
body  of  Christ  sacramentally,  and  no  further;  as  St  Augus 
tine  saith.  But  good  men  do  eat  the  very  true  body,  both 
sacramentally,  and  spiritually  by  grace." 

Tresham : — "  I  prove  the  contrary  by  St  Augustine : 
'  Sicut  enim  Judas,  cui  buccellulam  Dominus  tradidit,  non 
malum  accipiendo,  sed  male  accipiendo,  peccavit,'  fcc.1  '  Like 
as  Judas,  to  whom  the  Lord  gave  the  morsel,  did  offend, 
not  in  taking  a  thing  that  was  evil,  but  in  receiving  it  after 
an  evil  manner,'  &c.  And  a  little  after2,  '  Because  some 

Q1  Aug.  lib.  v.  cont.  Donatistas.  cap.  8.    Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685. 
torn.  ix.  col.  146.    ED.] 

[2  Aut  quia  non  ad  salutem  accipit,  nihil  acceperit.    Ibid.    ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 


247 


do  not  eat  unto  salvation,  it  followeth  not  therefore,  that  it 
is  not  his  body.'" 

Ridley: — "It  is  the  body  to  them,  that  is,  the  sacra 
ment  of  the  body:  and  Judas  took  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord  to  his  condemnation.  Augustine  hath  distinguished  these 
things  well  in  another  place,  where  he  saith3,  '  The  bread 
of  the  Lord,  [and]  the  bread  the  Lord.  Evil  men  eat  the 
bread  of  the  Lord,  but  not  the  bread  the  Lord :  but  good 
men  eat  both  the  bread  of  the  Lord,  and  bread  the  Lord.'" 

Weston  :— "  Paul  saith,  '  the  body,'  and  you  say,  the 
crament  of  the  body."  En&lish- 

Ridley: — "Paul  meaneth  so  indeed." 

Watson :— "  You  understand  it  evil  concerning  the  sign : 
for  the  fathers  say,  that  evil  men  do  eat  him  which  de 
scended  from  heaven." 

Ridley : — "  They  eat  him  indeed,  but  sacramentally.     The  -^  °£lccloc' 
fathers  use  many  times  the  sacrament  for  the  matter  of  the 
sacrament,  and  all  that  same  place  maketh  against  you:" 
and  so  here  he  cited  the  place. 

Weston: — "I  bring  Theophylact,  which  saith,  that  Judas  Theophyiact 
did  taste  the  body  of  the  Lord4.     'The  Lord  did  shew  the* 
cruelty  of  Judas,  who,  when  he  was  rebuked,  did  not  un 
derstand,  and  tasted  the  Lord's  flesh,'  &c." 

Ridley : — "  This  phrase  to   divines  is  well   known,   and  Answer, 
used  of  the  doctors :   He  tasted  the  flesh  of  the  Lord,  '  in- 
sensibiliter,'  4  insensibly ;'  that  is,  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
flesh." 

Weston : — "  Chrysostom  saith,  that  the  same  punishment 
remaineth  to  them  which  receive  the  body  of  the  Lord  un 
worthily,  as  to  them  which  crucified  him." 

Ridley : — "  That  is,  because  they  defile  the  Lord's  body :  ciirysostom 
for  evil  men  do  eat  the  body  of  Christ  sacramentally,  but 

Q3  "Panem  Domini,  et  panem  Dominum.  Mali  manducant  panem 
Domini,  non  panem  Dominum :  boni  autem  manducant  et  panem  Do 
mini,  et  panem  Dominum."  S.  Aug.  on  Johan.  Evan.  Tract,  lix.  Op. 
Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1685.  torn.  iii.  pars  2.  col.  663.  ED.] 

Q4  Atct  TOVTO  7rpo<T€0r]Ke  TO  eV0iOi/Ttoi/,  'iva  Trapaa-Ttjcrtj  T)/V  aVai/- 
Qpwjriav  TOV  louda,  OTI  ei/  Tpaire'^ri  na\  TWV  aurcoi/  fiptofj-ciTcav  Koivoavln, 
ore,  et  «a\  6qpiov  r\v,  irpaoTepo^  av  eyeyovei,  TOTC  ovce  e'Xey^o/jiei/oc 
ffvvrjK€Vt  aAXa  KUI  TOV  o-w/xaro?  avTov  yevo/jievos  ov  faeTa^eXeLTai. 
Theoph.in  Math.  Evan.  cap.  xxvi,  Ed.  Morelli,  Paris.  1631.  p.  161.  ED."] 


248  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

good  men  eat  both  the  sacrament   and   the   matter   of  the 
sacrament." 

Watson  :  —  "  You  reject  the  council  of  Lateran,  because 
(you  say)  it  agreeth  not  with  God's  word.  What  say  you 
then  to  the  council  of  Nice?  The  words  of  the  council  be 
these  :  '  Let  us  not  look  a-low  by  the  ground  upon  the  bread 
and  the  drink  set  before  us,  but,  lifting  up  our  mind,  let 
us  faithfully  believe,  there  upon  that  holy  table  to  lie  the 
Lamb  of  God  taking  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  being  sacri 
ficed  of  the  priests1.'" 

Ridley:  —  "That  council  was  collected  out  of  ancient 
fathers,  and  is  to  me  a  great  authority;  for  it  saith,  'that 
bread  is  set  upon  the  altar,  and  having  our  minds  lifted  up, 
we  must  consider  him  which  is  in  heaven.1  The  words  of 
the  council  make  for  me." 

IxhpeoSnded.  Watson  :—  "  «  Exaltata  mente,'  c  with  a  mind  exalted  f  that 
of  God1!!?5  ig5  no*  as  brute  beasts  at  the  rack  or  manger,  having  an  eye 
the"lbie,°n  only  upon  the  thing  that  is  set  before  them  :  *  The  Lamb  of 
doththhey  God  lieth  on  the  table,1  saith  the  council." 

council  bid  T>'  Ji  LL  mi        T         i        i»  n     i    •      •       i  T 

us  lift  up  MMUey:  —    Hie  Lamb  of  God  is  in  heaven,  according  to 

SSeiwmther^bfc  verity  of  the  body:    and  here  he  is  with  us  in  a  mys- 

should  bid     i  j.  -,  . 

us  let  down  tery,  according  to  his  power;  not  corporally. 

Watson:—  "But  the  Lamb  of  God  lieth  on  the  table." 
Ridley  :  —  "  It   is  a  figurative   speech  ;    for   in  our  mind 
we  understand  him  which  is  in  heaven." 

Watson:—  "But    he    lieth    there,    the    Greek    word    is 


"^  lieth  there;   that  is,  he  is  there  present, 
not  corporally,  but  he  lieth  there  by  his  operation." 
Watson:  —  "He  lieth;   but  his  operation  lieth  not." 
Ridley  :  —  "  You  think  very  grossly  of  the  sitting  or  lying 
of  the  celestial  Lamb  on  the  table  of  the  Lord  :   for  we  may 
not  imagine  any  such  sitting  or  lying  upon  the  table,  as  the 
reason  of  man  would  judge;    but  all  things  are  here  to  be 

L     &in  T>7?   6cias  TctTres,   iraXiv   KavravQa 


TW 

oprto   K.O.I  TM   TTOTrjpiM  TaTren/co?   TTpoo-e-^ioiaevj   a\\' 
Trjv  ciavoiav  Triarei  uoifa'tofi.tv  KtivQai  eVt  T^?  Icpas  ene'ives  rov     fivov 

TOV     0€OV,     TOV     Ot'lpOVTO.     TtjV     Ci^apTldV     TOV     KOCTfJLOV,     CtfluVwS    VTTO     T(0// 

tepcwv  Ovo^evov.    Gelasius.  Hist.  Cone.  Nicaen.  cap.  xxx.  apud  Labbaeum. 
Ed.  1G71.  torn.  ii.  col.  233.    ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  249 

understood  spiritually.  For  that  heavenly  Lamb  is  (as  I 
confess)  on  the  table ;  but  by  a  spiritual  presence,  by  grace, 
and  not  after  any  corporal  substance  of  his  flesh  taken  of 
the  Virgin  Mary.  And  indeed  the  same  canon  doth ,  very 
plainly  teach,  that  the  bread  which  is  set  on  the  table  is 
material  bread ;  and  therefore  it  (the  canon,  I  mean)  com- 
mandeth  that  we  should  not  creep  on  the  ground  in  our 
cogitation,  to  those  things  which  are  set  before  us;  as  who 
should  say,  what  other  things  are  they  (as  much  as  pertaineth 
to  their  true  substance)  than  bread  and  wine?  'But  rather,' 
saith  the  canon,  'lifting  up  our  minds  into  heaven,  let  us 
consider  with  faith  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  world,  sitting  or  lying  upon  the  table.'  *  For 
a  lifted  up  faith,'  saith  he,  'seeth  him  which  sitteth  on  the 
right  hand  of  God  the  Father,  after  the  true  manner  of  a 
body  set  by  grace  on  the  Lord's  table,  and  taking  away  the 
sins  of  the  world.  For  I  think  you  mean  not  so ;  as  though 
the  Lamb  did  lie  there  prostrate  with  his  members  spread 
upon  the  table.'" 

Smith : — "  I  bring  another  place  out   of  the   council   of 
Nice2 :    '  None  of  the  apostles  said,  this  is  a  figure  of  the ieged 
body  of  Christ :  none  of  the  reverend  elders  said  the  unbloody 
sacrifice  of  the  altar  to  be  a  figure.' 

"  Ergo,  You  are  deceived." 

Ridley: — "This  canon  is  not  in  the  council  of  Nice;  for 
I  have  read  over  this  council  many  times." 

Then  came  in  another,  whom  master  Ridley  knew  not,  The  council 
and  said :    "  The  universal  church  both  of  the  Greeks  and  alleged. 
Latins,  of  the  east  and  of  the  west,  have  agreed  in  the  council 
of  Florence  uniformly  in  the  doctrine  of  the  sacrament ;   that 
in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  there  is  the  true  and  real°utofDr 

,      -,     „  Ridley's 

OOCly.  copy. 

Ridley:— "I  deny  the  Greek  and  the  east  church  to  have 
agreed  either  in  the  council  at  Florence,  or  at  any  time  else, 
with  the  Romish  church  in  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation 

"  Nullus  apostolorum  dixit,  heec  est  figura  corporis  Christ! :  nullus 
vcnerabilium  presbyterorum  dixit  incruentum  altaris  sacrificium  figu- 
ram,"  etc. 


250  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

of  bread  into  the  body  of  Christ.  For  there  was  nothing  in 
the  council  of  Florence1,  wherein  the  Greeks  would  agree 
with  the  Romanists;  albeit  hitherto,  I  confess,  it  was  left  free 
for  every  church  to  use,  as  they  were  wont,  leavened  or  un 
leavened  bread." 

Here  cried  out  Dr  Cole,  and  said,  they  agreed  together 
concerning  transubstantiation  of  bread  into  the  body  of  Christ. 
Master  Ridley  said,  that  could  not  be. 

one  of  the  Here  started  up  another  unknown  to  master  Ridley,  but 
thought  to  be  one  of  the  scribes,  who  affirmed  with  him, 
that  indeed  there  was  nothing  decreed  concerning  transub 
stantiation;  but  the  council  left  that,  as  a  matter  not  meet 
nor  worthy  to  disturb  the  peace  and  concord  of  the  church : 
to  whom  master  Ridley  answered  again,  saying,  that  he  said 
the  truth. 

Pie : — "  What  say  you  to  that  council,  where  it  is  said, 
that  the  priest  doth  offer  an  unbloody  sacrifice  of  the  body 
of  Christ  r 

Bidley : — "I  say,  it  is  well  said,  if  it  be  rightly  under 
stood.1' 

Pie: — "But  he  offereth  an  unbloody  sacrifice.'' 

Ridley : — "  It  is  called  unbloody,  and  is  offered  after  a 
certain  manner,  and  in  a  mystery,  and  as  a  representation 
of  that  bloody  sacrifice ;  and  he  doth  not  lie,  who  saith  Christ 
to  be  offered." 

weston  Weston : — "  I,  with  one  argument,  will  throw  down  to  the 

FiaStndth  "  ground  your  opinion,  out  of  Chrysostom2,  and  I  will  teach, 

not  only  a  figure,  and  a  sign  of  grace  only,  but  the  very  same 

P  This  assertion  is  perfectly  true,  although  cardinal  Bessarion  had 
managed  to  produce  a  temporary  union;  for  his  conduct  in  which 
business  he  was  severely  blamed,  the  Greek  church  being  uninformed 
of  his  proceedings,  and  having  never  authorised  him  to  attempt  a  union. 
See  Historia  concertationis  Graec.  Latinorumque  de  Transubstant.  auct. 
J.  R.  Kieslingio;  Lipsise,  1754,  pp.  188—194.  Fleury,  Hist.  Eccles. 
livre  108,  §  135,  and  Labbe,  torn.  xiii.  ED.] 

TOUTO    TO    (rw/Jia    KOU    GTH    (fictTvr]?    K.cifj.evov    tj^ecrdrjcrav    jj-dyoi 
*  (TV  ce   OVK   ev   (pdrvrj   opas,    ccA/V   ev  6u(ria(TTr)piip,    ov   yu- 
vcuKa  Karei^ouc-ai',  a'/\\'  lepea  Trapca-TtaTa.      S.  Chrys.  Horn.  xxiv.  in 
1  Cor.  cap.  x.    Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1710,  torn.  x.  p.  218.    ED.] 


DISPUTATION    AT    OXFOllIJ.  251 

body,  which  was  here  conversant  on  the  earth,  to  be  in  the 
eucharist. 

"  We  worship  the  selfsame  body  in  the  eucharist  which 
the  wise  men  did  worship  in  the  manger. 

"But  that  was  his  natural  and  real  body,  not  spiritual: 

"  Ergo,  The  real  body  of  Christ  is  in  the  eucharist. 

"  Again,  the  same  Chrysostom  saith,  '  We  have  not  here 
the  Lord  in  the  manger,  but  on  the  altar :  here  a  woman 
holdeth  him  not  in  her  hands,  but  a  priest.'"  notfcrmaL 

Ridley: — "We  worship,  I  confess,  the  same  true  Lord 
and  Saviour  of  the  world,  which  the  wise  men  worshipped 
in  the  manger;  howbeit  we  do  it  in  a  mystery,  and  in  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  that  in  spiritual  liberty, 
as  saith  St  Augustine3,  not  in  carnal  servitude ;  that  is,  we 
do  not  worship  servilely  the  signs  for  the  things :  for  that 
should  be,  as  he  also  saith,  a  part  of  a  servile  infirmity.  But 
we  behold  with  the  eyes  of  faith  him  present  after  grace, 
and  spiritually  set  upon  the  table;  and  we  worship  him 
which  sitteth  above,  and  is  worshipped  of  the  angels.  For 
Christ  is  always  assistant  to  his  mysteries,  as  the  said 
Augustine  saith.  And  the  Divine  Majesty,  as  saith  Cy 
prian,  doth  never  absent  itself  from  the  divine  mysteries; 
but  this  assistance  and  presence  of  Christ,  as  in  baptism  it 
is  wholly  spiritual,  and  by  grace,  and  not  by  any  corporal 
substance  of  the  flesh,  even  so  it  is  here  in  the  Lord's 
supper,  being  rightly  and  according  to  the  word  of  God  duly 
ministered." 

Weston : — "  That  which  the  woman  did  hold  in  her  womb, 
the  same  thing  holdeth  the  priest." 

Ridley: — "I  grant  the  priest  holdeth  the  same  thing, 
but  after  another  manner.  She  did  hold  the  natural  body; 
the  priest  holdeth  the  mystery  of  the  body." 

(Weston  repeated  again  his  argument  out  of  Chrysostom 
in  English.) 

Ridley: — "I  say  that  the  author  meant  it  spiritually." 

(Weston    here,    dissolving    the    disputations,    had    these  Weston 

bloweth  up 
thetriumph. 

[3  S.  Aug.  de  Doctrina  Christiana,  lib.  iii.  cap.  vi.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par. 
1685.  torn.  iii.  pars  1.  col.  47.  ED.] 


252  DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

words1 :  "  Here  you  see  the  stubborn,  the  glorious,  the  crafty, 
the  unconstant  mind  of  this  man.  Here  you  see  this  day, 
that  the  strength  of  the  truth  is  without  foil.  Therefore  I 
beseech  you  all  most  earnestly  to  blow  the  note  (and  he  began, 
and  they  followed,)  'Verity  hath  the  victory,'  'Verity  hath 
the  victory.1" 

1  "Videtis  praefractum  hominis  animum,  gloriosum,  vafrum,  incon- 
stantem :  videtis  hodie  veritatis  vires  inconcussas.  Itaque  clamate,  Vicit 
veritas." 


II. 

THE  ORDER  AND  MANNER 
OP 

THE    EXAMINATION 

OP 

DR  RIDLEY, 

HAD   THE   THIRTIETH   DAY   OF   SEPTEMBER,    1555, 
BEFORE  THE  QUEEN'S  COMMISSIONERS. 


THE  ORDER  AND  MANNER 
OF 

THE    EXAMINATION 

OF 

DR   RIDLEY, 

HAD    THE    THIRTIETH    DAY    OF    SEPTEMBER,    1555, 
BEFORE  THE  QUEEN'S  COMMISSIONERS. 


FOX'S  PREFACE. 

FIRST,  after  the  appearing  of  Thomas  Cranmer,  archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  before  the  pope's  delegate  and  the  queen's 
commissioners,  in  St  Mary's  Church  at  Oxford,  about  the 
12th  day  of  September,  whereof  more  shall  be  said  (by  the 
Lord's  grace)  when  we  come  to  the  death  of  the  said  arch 
bishop;  shortly  after,  upon  the  28th  of  the  said  month  of 
September,  was  sent  down  to  Oxford  another  commission 
from  Cardinal  Pole,  legate  a  latere,  to  John  White  bishop 
of  Lincoln,  to  Dr  Brooks  bishop  of  Gloucester,  and  to  I^ 
Holyman  bishop  of  Bristol.  The  contents  and  virtue  of  which  jfown  to  o\- 
commission  were,  that  the  said  John  of  Lincoln,  James  of 
Gloucester,  and  John  of  Bristol,  they,  or  two  of  them,  should 
have  full  power  and  authority,  to  ascite,  examine,  and  judge 
Master  Hugh  Latimer,  and  Master  Dr  Ridley,  pretensed 
bishops  of  Worcester  and  London,  for  divers  and  sundry 
erroneous  opinions,  which  the  said  Hugh  Latimer  and  Nicho 
las  Ridley  did  hold  and  maintain  in  open  disputations  had 
in  Oxford,  in  the  months  of  May,  June,  and  July,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1554,  as  long  before,  in  the  time  of  perdition1, 
and  since.  The  which  opinions  if  the  named  persons  would 

Q1  The  Commissioners  doubtless  meant  by  this  expression,  the  reign 
of  Edward  VI,  and  the  latter  part  of  that  of  Henry  VIII.    ED.] 


256  LAST    EXAMINATION 

now  recant,  giving  and  yielding  themselves  to  the  determination 
of  the  universal  and  catholic  church,  planted  by  Peter  in  the 
blessed  see  of  Rome,  that  then  they  the  deputed  judges,  by 
the  said  authority  of  their  commission,  should  have  power  to 
receive  the  said  penitent  persons,  and  forthwith  minister  unto 
them  the  reconciliation  of  the  holy  father  the  pope.  But  if 
the  said  Hugh  Latimer  and  Nicholas  Ridley  would  stoutly  and 
stubbornly  defend  and  maintain  these  their  erroneous  opinions 
and  assertions;  that  then  the  said  lords  by  their  commission 
should  proceed  in  form  of  judgment,  according  to  the  law 
of  heretics,  that  is,  degrading  them  from  their  promotion  and 
dignity  of  bishops,  priests,  and  all  other  ecclesiastical  orders, 
should  pronounce  them  as  heretics;  and  therefore  clean  cut 
them  off  from  the  church,  and  so  yield  them  to  receive  punish 
ment  due  to  all  such  heresy  and  schism. 

Wherefore,  the  last  of  September1,  the  said  two  persons, 
Ceaidt°ap"  Nicholas  Ridley  and  Hugh  Latimer,  were  ascited  to  appear 
before  the   said   lords,  in  the  divinity  school  at  Oxford,  at 
eight  of  the  clock.     At  what  time  thither  repaired  the  lords, 
placing  themselves  in  the  high  seat,  made  for  public  lectures 
and  disputations,  according  to  the  usage  of  that  school,  being- 
then  fair  set,  and  trimmed  with  cloth  of  tissue  and  cushions 
of  velvet.     And  after  the  said  lords  were  placed  and  set,  the 
said  Latimer  and  Ridley  were  sent  for;   and  first  appeared 
Master  Dr  Ridley,  and  anon  Master  Latimer.     But  because  it 
seemed  good  severally  to  examine  them,  Master  Latimer  was 
kept  back  until  Dr  Ridley  was  throughly  examined.     There 
fore,  soon  after  the  coming   of  Dr  Ridley  into  the  school, 
the  commission  was  published  by  an  appointed  notary,  and 
openly  read.     But  Dr  Ridley,  standing  bareheaded,  humbly  ex 
pecting  the  cause  of  that  his  appearance,  eftsoons  as  he  had 
heard  the  cardinal  named,  and  the  pope's  holiness,  put  on  his 
cap.     Wherefore,  after  the  commission  was  published  in  form 
and   sense  above  specified,  the  bishop   of  Lincoln  spake  in 
sense  following  : 


Lincoln:  —  "Master   Ridley,  although   neither   I,   neither 
my  ^or(k  *iere'  *n  resPect  °f  our  own  persons  do  look  for  cap 
/ff  *  or  knee,  yet  because  we  bear  and  represent  such  persons  as 

lliscap'  ['  Monday,  Sept.  SO,  1555.     Sec  Nicolas'  tables.     ED.~f 


BKFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS. 


257 


we  do,  that  is  my  lord  cardinal's  grace,  legate  a  latere  to 
the  pope's  holiness,  as  well  in  that  he  is  of  a  noble  parentage 
[and  therewith  Master  Ridley  moved  his  cap  with  lowly 
obeisance]  descending  from  the  regal  blood,  as  in  that  he  is 
a  man  worthy  to  be  reverenced  with  all  humility  for  his 
great  knowledge  and  learning,  noble  virtues,  and  godly  life, 
and  especially  in  that  he  is  here  in  England  deputy  to  the 
pope's  holiness,  it  should  have  become  you  at  this  name  to 
have  uncovered  your  head.  Wherefore,  except  you  will  of 
your  ownself  take  the  pains  to  put  your  hand  to  your  head, 
and  at  the  nomination,  as  well  of  the  said  cardinal,  as  of 
the  pope's  holiness,  uncover  the  same,  lest  that  this  your 
contumacy,  exhibited  now  before  us,  should  be  prejudicial 
to  the  said  most  reverend  persons  (which  thing  we  may  in 
no  case  suffer),  you  shall  cause  us  to  take  the  pain  to  cause 
some  man  to  pluck  off  your  cap  from  you." 

To  whom  Master  Ridley  making  his  petition  for  licence, 
answered  : 

Ridley:  —  "As  touching  that  you  said,  my  lord,  that  you  Answer  of 
of  your  own  persons  desire  no  cap  nor  knee,  but  only  require  him. 
the   same  in  consideration  that  you   represent  the  cardinal 
grace's  person,   I  do  you  to  wit,  and  thereupon  make  my 
protestation,  that   I   did  put  on  my  cap  at  the  naming  of 
the  cardinal's  grace,  neither  for  any  contumacy  that  I  bear 
towards   your   own   persons,    neither   for    any    derogation    of 
honour  to  the  lord  cardinal's  grace  :   for  I  know  him  to  be  Ridley  re- 

ii  P  T  -i         verenceth 

a  man  worthy  of  all  humility,  reverence,  and  honour,  in  that  the  person 
he  came  of  the  most  regal  blood,  and  in  that  he  is  a  man       but  not 


endued  with  manifold  graces   of  learning  and  virtue.     And 

as  touching  these   virtues  and  points,   I,  with  all  humility 

[therewith  he  put  off  his  cap,  and  bowed  his  knee]  and  obei 

sance  that  I  may,  will  reverence  and  honour  his  grace  :  but, 

in  that  he  is  legate  to   the   bishop  of  Rome,   [and  there 

with  put  on  his  cap,]  whose  usurped  supremacy  and  abused 

authority  I  utterly  refuse  and  renounce,   I  may  in  no  wise 

give   any   obeisance   or   honour   unto   him,   lest   that  my  so 

doing  and  behaviour  might  be  prejudicial  to  mine  oath,  and 

a  derogation  to  the  verity  of  God's  word.     And  therefore,  Ridley  doetu 

that   I   might   not  only  by  confession  profess  the  verity  in  rence  to  the 

17 

[RIDLEY.] 


258  LAST    EXAMINATION 

not  reverencing  the  renounced  authority  contrary  to  God's 
word,  but  also  in  gesture,  in  behaviour,  and  all  my  doings 
express  the  same,  I  have  put  on  my  cap ;  and  for  this  con 
sideration  only,  and  not  for  any  contumacy  to  your  lord 
ships,  neither  contempt  of  this  worshipful  audience,  neither 
derogation  of  any  honour  due  to  the  cardinal  his  grace,  both 
for  his  noble  parentage,  and  also  his  excellent  qualities,  I 
have  kept  on  my  cap." 

Sop  of  Lincoln: — "Master  Ridley,  you  excuse  yourself  of  that 

Lincoln  re-  TT7,vu    fae  which   we    pressed   you   not,   in   that   you   protest 


you  keep  on  your  cap,  neither  for  any  contumacy  towards 
us  (which  look  for  no  such  honour  of  you),  neither  for  any 
contempt  of  this  audience,  which,  although  justly  they  may, 
yet  (as  I  suppose)  in  this  case  do  not  require  any  such  obei 
sance  of  you ;  neither  in  derogation  of  any  honour  due  to 
my  lord  cardinal's  grace,  for  his  regal  descent  [at  which 
word  Master  Ridley  moved  his  cap]  and  excellent  qualities ; 
for  although  in  all  the  premises  honour  be  due,  yet  in  these 
respects  we  require  none  of  you,  but  only  in  that  my  lord 
cardinal's  grace  is,  here  in  England,  deputy  of  the  pope's  holi- 
the  ness  [a^  wm*cn  word  the  lords  and  others  put  off  their  caps, 
anc^  ^as^er  Ridley  put  on  his]  ;  and  therefore  we  say  unto 
you  the  second  time,  that  except  you  take  the  pains  your 
self  to  put  your  hand  to  your  head  and  put  off  your  cap, 
you  shall  put  us  to  the  pain  to  cause  some  man  to  take 
it  from  you,  except  you  allege  some  infirmity  and  sickness, 
or  other  more  reasonable  cause,  upon  the  consideration  where 
of  we  may  do  as  we  think  good." 

Ridley: — "The  premises  I  said  only  for  this  end,  that  it 
might  as  well  appear  to  your  lordships,  as  to  this  worshipful 
audience,  why  and  for  what  consideration  I  used  such  kind 
of  behaviour,  in  not  humbling  myself  to  your  lordships  with 
cap  and  knee :  and  as  for  my  sickness,  I  thank  my  Lord 
God,  that  I  am  as  well  at  ease  as  I  was  this  long  season; 
and  therefore  I  do  not  pretend  that  which  is  not,  but  only 
this,  that  it  might  appear  by  this  my  behaviour,  that  I 
Iupremacyd  acknowledge  in  no  point  that  usurped  supremacy  of  Rome, 
fiecL0me  de  and  therefore  contemn  and  utterly  despise  all  authority  coming 
from  him.  In  taking  off  my  cap,  do  as  it  shall  please  your 
lordships,  and  I  shall  be  content." 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS. 

Then  the  bishop  of  Lincoln,  after  the  third  admonition,  RMteyj  cap 
commanded  one   of  the  beadles   (that   is   an  officer   of  the  by  force. 
University)  to  pluck  his  cap  from  his  head.     Master  Ridley, 
bowing  his  head  to  the  officer,  gently  permitted  him  to  take 
away  his  cap.     After  this  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  in  a  long 
oration  exhorted  Master  Ridley  to  recant,  and  submit  him 
self  to  the  universal  faith  of  Christ  in  this  manner : 

Lincoln: — "  Master  Ridley,  I  am  sure  you  have  sufficiently 
pondered  with  yourself  the  effect  of  this  our  commission  with 
good  advisement,  considering  both  points  thereof,  how  that 
authority  is  given  to  us,  if  you  shall  receive  the  true  doctrine 
of  the  church  (which  first  was  founded  by  Peter  at  R°me  £?&' S? e 
immediately  after  the  death  of  Christ,  and  from  him  by  lineal  £gri^v™^0 
succession  hath  been  brought  to  this  our  time),  if  you  will  ^ave  been  at 

»  Home  in  li- 

be  content  to  renounce  your  former  errors,  recant  your  he-  J52Jut,'|fore 
retical  and  seditious  opinions,  content  to  yield  yourself  to  J^r  came 
the  undoubted  faith  and  truth  of  the  gospel,  received  and 
always  taught  of  the  catholic  and  apostolic  church,  the  which 
the  king  and  queen,  all  the  nobles  of  this  realm,  and  commons 
of  the  same,  all  Christian  people  have  and  do  confess,  you 
only  standing  alone  by  yourself ;  you  understand  and  perceive, 
I  am  sure,  that  authority  is  given  us  to  receive  you,  to  re 
concile  you,  aud  upon  due  penance  to  adjoin  and  associate 
you  again  into  the  number  of  the  catholics  and  Christ's 
church,  from  the  which  you  have  so  long  strayed,  without 
the  which  no  man  can  be  saved,  the  which  thing  I  and  my 
lords  here,  yea  and  all,  as  well  nobles  and  commons  of  this 
realm,  most  heartily  desire,  and  I  for  my  part  [wherewith 
he  put  off  his  cap]  most  earnestly  exhort  you  to  do. 

"Remember,  Master  Ridley,  it  is  no  strange  country 
whither  I  exhort  you  to  return.  You  were  once  one  of  us; 
you  have  taken  degrees  in  the  school.  You  were  made  a 
priest,  and  became  a  preacher,  setting  forth  the  same  doctrine  stranse- 
which  we  do  now.  You  were  made  bishop  according  to 
our  laws ;  and,  to  be  short,  it  is  not  so  long  agone,  since  you 
separated  yourself  from  us,  and  in  the  time  of  heresy  became 
a  setter  forth  of  that  devilish  and  seditious  doctrine  which 
in  these  latter  days  was  preached  amongst  us.  For  at  what 
time  the  new  doctrine  of  "only  faith"  began  to  spring,  the 

17-— 2 


260  LAST     EXAMINATION 

trutS un"  counc^5  willing  to  win  my  lord  chancellor,  sent  you  to  him 

white*  for    (^  ^ien  ^emS  m  my  l°rc^s  house,  unknown  as  I  suppose  to 

is°noynewh"  Jou^  '   an(^  a^er  ^ou  ^^  talked  with  my  lord  secretly,  and 

doctrine.     were  departed,  immediately  my  lord  declared  certain  points 

of   your  talk  and  means  of  your  persuasion;   and  amongst 

o?iudieyrds  others  this  was  one,  that  you  should  say,  '  Tush,  my  lord, 

reported/    *m*s  matter  of  justification  is  but  a  trifle,  let  us  not  stick 

to  condescend  herein  to  them ;  but  for  God's  love,  my  lord, 

stand  stoutly  in  the  verity  of  the  sacrament :  for  I  see  they 

will  assault  that  also.1     If  this  be  true  (as  my  lord  is  a  man 

credible  enough  in  such  a  matter),  hereby  it  is  declared  of 

what  mind  you  were  then,  as  touching  the  truth  of  the  most 

blessed  sacrament. 

omncsoinp  "Also  in  a  sermon  of  yours  at  Paul's  Cross  you  as 
ESey  toth  effectually  and  as  catholicly  spake  of  that  blessed  sacrament, 
theUpop?s  as  anv  man  might  have  done ;  whereby  it  appeareth  that 
it  is  no  strange  thing,  nor  unknown  place  whereunto  I  ex 
hort  you.  I  wish  you  to  return  thither  from  whence  you 
came ;  that  is,  together  with  us  to  acknowledge  the  church 
of  God,  wherein  no  man  may  err,  to  acknowledge  the  supre 
macy  of  our  most  reverend  father  in  God  the  pope's  holiness, 
which  (as  I  said)  lineally  taketh  his  descent  from  Peter, 
upon  whom  Christ  promised,  before  his  death,  to  build  his 
church ;  the  which  supremacy  or  prerogative  the  most  ancient 
fathers  in  all  ages,  in  all  times,  did  acknowledge  [and  here 
he  brought  a  place  or  two  out  of  the  doctors,  but  especially 
stayed  upon  a  saying  of  St  Augustine1,  who  writeth  in  this 
manner:  'All  the  Christian  countries  beyond  the  sea  are 
subject  to  the  church  of  Borne2.']  Here  you  see,  Master 
Ridley,  that  all  Christendom  is  subject  to  the  church  of  Kome. 

1  "  Dubitatur  utrum  forma  verborum  hsec  sit  Augustini."    [Some 
doubt  may  well  be  expressed,  as  the  tendency  of  the  language  contra 
dicts  the  22nd  canon  of  the  Council  of  Milevis,  to  which  Augustine  had 
himself  subscribed :  "Ad  transmarina  autem  qui  putaverit  appellandum, 
a  nullo  intra  Africam  in  communionem  suscipiatur."     See  Concilia, 
Studio  Labbei,  torn.  ii.  col.  1543 ;  but  the  passage  intended  for  citation 
is,  no  doubt,  that  in  Augustine's  treatise  "  Contra  Epist.  Parmen."  lib.  i. 
cap.  iii.  sec.  5,  and  its  application  to  the  bishop  of  Rome  is  here  aided 
by  the  addition  of  Romans  Ecclesiae.    ED.] 

2  "  Totus  orbis  Christianus  in  transmarinis  et  longe  remotis  terns 
Romanse  Ecclesise  subjectus  est." 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  261 

What  should   stay  you  therefore  to  confess  the  same  with 
St  Augustine  and  the  other  fathers?" 

Then  Master  Ridley  desired  his  patience,  to  suffer  him 
to  speak  somewhat  of  the  premises,  lest  the  multitude  of 
things  might  confound  his  memory;  and  having  grant  there 
unto,  he  said  in  this  manner  : 

Ridley:— -"My  Lord,  I  most  heartily  thank  your  lord- 
ship,  as  well  for  your  gentleness,  as  also  for  your  sobriety 
in  talk,  and  for  your  good  and  favourable  zeal  in  this  learned 
exhortation;  in  the  which  I  have  marked  especially  three 
points  which  you  used,  to  persuade  me  to  leave  my  doctrine  Three  points 

*  J  noted  in  the 

and  religion,  which  I  perfectly  know  and  am  thoroughly  per-  Jj^JJJ,^ 
.suaded  to  be  grounded  not  upon  man's  imagination  and  de-  °rati(>n- 
crees,  but  upon  the  infallible  truth   of  Christ's  gospel,  and 
not  to  look  back,  and  to  return  to   the  Romish  see,  con 
trary  to  mine  oath,  contrary  to  the  prerogative  and  crown 
of  this  realm,  and  especially   (which  movetli  me  most)   con 
trary  to  the  expressed  word  of  God. 

"  First,  The  first  point  is  this,  that  the  see  of  Rome  taking  J^seeeof 
its  beginning  from  Peter,  upon  whom  you  say  Christ  hath  lounded 
builded  his  church,  hath  in  all  ages  lineally,  from  bishop  to 
bishop,  been  brought  to  this  time. 

4i  Secondly,  That  even  the  holy  fathers  from  time  to  ti 
have  in  their  writings  confessed  the  same.  tors' 

O 

"  Thirdly,  That  in  that  I  was  once  of  the  same  opinion, 
and,  together  with  you,  I  did  acknowledge  the  same. 

u  First,  as  touching  the  saying  of  Christ,  from  whence  The  church 

J     o  not  builded 

your  lordship  gathereth  the  foundation  of  the  church  upon  uP°n  Peter- 

Peter,  truly  the  place  is  not  so  to  be   understood  as  you 

take  it,  as  the  circumstance  of  the  place  wTill  declare.     For 

after  that  Christ  had  asked  his  disciples  whom  men  judged 

him  to  be,  and  they  had  answered,  that  some  had  said  he 

was  a  prophet,  some  Elias,  some  one  thing,  some  another, 

then  he  said,  '  Whom  say  ye  that  I  amf   Then  Peter  said, 

4 1  say,  That  thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  God/     To  whom 

Christ  answered,  '  I  say,  thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  stone 

1  will  build  my  church3 ;'  that  is  to  say,  upon  this  stone— 

[3  "  Tu  es  Petrus,  et  super  hanc  petram  aedificabo  ecclesiam  meam." 
"  Upon  this  stone."    Compare  Tindal's  Works,  p.  357.    Nowell's  Con- 


262 


LAST    EXAMINATION 


not  meaning  Peter  himself,  as  though  he  would  have  con 
stituted  a  mortal  man,  so  frail  and  brickie,  a  foundation  of 
his  stable  and  infallible  church;  but  upon  this  rock-stone — 
The  church  that  is,  this  confession  of  thine,  that  I  am  the  Son  of  God, 
upon  faith,   I  will   build  my  church.     For   this   is   the   foundation   and 
any  person,  beginning   of  all   Christianity,  with   word,   heart,   and  mind 
to  confess  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.     Whosoever  be- 
lieveth  not  this,  Christ  is  not  in  him;  and  he  cannot  have 
the  mark  of  Christ  printed  on  his  forehead,  which  confesseth 
The  words    not  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.     Therefore  Christ  said 
Peter  ex-     unto  Peter,  that  upon  this  rock,  that  is,  upon  this  his  con 
fession,  that  he  was  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  he  would  build 
his  church ;  to  declare,  that  without  this  faith  no  man  can 
Faith  the     come  to  Christ :  so  that  this  belief,  that  Christ  is  the  Son 
ofutheation   of  God,  is  the  foundation  of  our  Christianity,  and  the  foun- 
ch*       dation  of  our  church.     Here  you  see  upon  what  foundation 
Christ's   church   is   built,  not  upon  the   frailty  of  man,  but 
upon  the  stable  and  infallible  word  of  God. 

Lineal  de-  "  Now,  as  touching  the  lineal  descent  of  the  "bishops 
bishop  of ie  in  the  see  of  Rome,  true  it  is,  that  the  patriarchs  of  Rome 
in  the  apostles1  time,  and  long  after,  were  great  maintainers 
and  setters  forth  of  Christ's  glory,  in  the  which  above  all 
other  countries  and  regions  there  especially  was  preached 
the  true  gospel,  the  sacraments  were  most  duly  ministered: 
and  as  before  Christ's  coming  it  was  a  city  so  valiant  in 
prowess  and  martial  affairs,  that  all  the  world  was  in  a 
manner  subject  to  it,  and  after  Christ's  passion  divers  of 
why  the  the  apostles  there  suffered  persecution  for  the  gospel's  sake ; 
so,  after  that  the  emperors,  their  hearts  being  illuminated, 
received  the  gospel  and  became  Christians,  the  gospel  there, 
as  well  for  the  great  power  and  dominion,  as  for  the  fame 
of  the  place,  flourished  most,  whereby  the  bishops  of  that 
place  were  had  in  more  reverence  and  honour,  most  esteemed 
in  all  councils  and  assemblies,  not  because  they  acknow 
ledged  them  to  be  their  head,  but  because  the  place  was 
most  reverenced  and  spoken  of  for  the  great  power  and 
strength  of  the  same.  As  now  here  in  England  the  bishop 

futation  of  Dorman,  p.  445,  &c.  Jewell's  Answer  to  Harding,  p.  165, 
184.  Fox's  Acts,  p.  1637,  &c.  all  (with  others  which  might  be  cited) 
concurring  in  this  interpretation.  En.j 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  2  Go 

of  Lincoln  in  sessions  and  sittings  hath  the  pre-eminence  of 
the  other  bishops,  not  in  that  he  is  the  head  and  ruler  of 
them,  but  for  the  dignity  of  the  bishopric.  [And  therewith 
the  people  smiled].  Wherefore  the  doctors  in  their  writings 
have  spoken  most  reverently  of  this  see  of  Rome,  and  in  TI«I  prcro- 

*•  *•'  GffltlVC  tllfl.i 

their  writings  preferred  it ;  and  this  is  the  prerogative  which  ^J*J}§Jf 
your  lordship  did  rehearse  the  ancient  doctors  to  give  to  the  see  of  Rome, 
see  of  Rome. 

"  Semblably,  I  cannot  nor  dare  not  but  commend,  re- 
verence,  and  honour  the  see  of  Rome,  as  long  as  it  con- 
tinued  in  the  promotion  and  setting  forth  of  God's  glory,  and  JJJJJ^JJJf 
in  due  preaching  of  the  gospel,  as  it  did  many  years  after 
Christ.  But  after  that  the  bishops  of  that  see,  seeking  their 
own  pride,  and  not  God's  honour,  began  to  set  themselves 
above  kings  and  emperors,  challenging  to  them  the  title  of 
God's  vicars,  the  dominion  and  supremacy  over  all  the  world, 
I  cannot  but  with  St  Gregory,  a  bishop  of  Rome  also,  con 
fess  that  the  bishop  of  that  place  is  the  very  true  Anti 
christ,  whereof  St  John  speaketh  by  the  name  of  the  whore 
of  Babylon,  and  say  with  the  said  St  Gregory,  '  He  that  The  bishop 
maketh  himself  a  bishop  over  all  the  world,  is  worse  than  proved  to  i»e 

.  Antichrist. 

Antichrist. 

"  Now,  whereas  you  say  St  Augustine  should  seem  not  The  pla-C(' ot 

•  •  Augustine 

only  to  give  such  a  prerogative,  but  also  supremacy  to  the  answered, 
see  of  Rome,  in  that  he  saith,  All  the  Christian  world  is 
subject  to  the  church  of  Rome,  and  therefore  should  give 
to  that  see  a  certain  kind  of  subjection ;  I  am  sure  that 
your  lordship  knoweth,  that  in  St  Augustine's  time  there 
were  four  patriarchs,  of  Alexandria,  Constantinople,  Antioch, 
and  Rome,  which  patriarchs  had  under  them  certain  countries ; 
as  in  England  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  hath  under  him 
divers  bishoprics  in  England  and  Wales,  to  whom  he  may 
be  said  to  be  their  patriarch.  Also  your  lordship  knoweth 
right  well,  that  at  what  time  St  Augustine  wrote  this  book, 
he  was  then  bishop  in  Africa.  Further,  you  are  not  igno 
rant,  that  between  Europe  and  Africa  lieth  the  sea  called 
Mare  Mediterranean!,  so  that  all  the  countries  in  Europe  to 
him  which  is  in  Africa  may  be  called  transmarine,  countries 
beyond  the  sea.  Hereof  St  Augustine  saith,  '  All  the  Christian 
countries  beyond  the  seas  and  far  regions  are  subject  to  the  gj|ject  to 


264?  LAST    EXAMINATION 

see  of  Rome1.'     If  I  should  say  all  countries  beyond  the  sea, 
I  do  except  England,  which  to  me  now,  being  in  England,  is 
not  beyond  the  sea.     In  this  sense  St  Augustine  saith,  'All 
the  countries  beyond  the  sea  are  subject  to  the  see  of  Rome  ;** 
declaring  thereby  that   Rome   was   one   of  the   sees   of  the 
four  patriarchs,  and  under  it  Europe.     By  what  subjection, 
I  pray  you?  only  for  a  pre-eminence,  as  we  here  in  England 
say,  that   all   the  bishoprics  in  England  are  subject  to  the 
be°motheary   archbishoprics    of    Canterbury    and    York.      For    this    pre- 
andhyetcnot'  eminence,    also,    the    other    doctors    (as    you    recited)    say, 
heado?6      that   R°me  is  the  mother  of  churches,  as  the  bishopric  of 
churches.     LmCOln  is  mother  to  the  bishopric  of  Oxford,  because  the 
bishopric   of   Oxford   came   from  the    bishopric    of   Lincoln, 
and  they  were  both  once  one2 ;    and  so  is  the  archbishopric 
of  Canterbury  mother  to  the  other  bishoprics  which  are  in 
her  province.      In   like   sort  the   archbishopric   of  York   is 
mother  to  the  north  bishoprics;   and  yet  no  man  will  say, 
that    Lincoln,    Canterbury,    or    York,    is    supreme    head    to 
other  bishoprics :   neither  then  ought  we  to  confess  the  see 
of  Rome  to  be  supreme  head,  because  the  doctors  in  their 
writings  confess  the  see  of  Rome  to  be  mother  of  churches. 

"  Now  whereas  you  say,  I  was  once  of  the  same  religion 
which  you  are  of,  the  truth  is,  I  cannot  but  confess  the 
same.  Yet  so  was  St  Paul  a  persecutor  of  Christ.  But  to 
that  you  say,  that  I  was  one  of  you  not  long  agone,  in  that 
I,  doing  my  message  to  my  lord  of  Winchester,  should  de 
sire  him  to  stand  stout  in  that  gross  opinion  of  the  supper 
of  the  Lord ;  in  very  deed  I  was  sent  (as  your  lordship 
said)  from  the  council  to  my  lord  of  Winchester,  to  exhort 
him  to  receive  also  the  true  confession  of  justification;  and 
because  he  was  very  refractorious,  I  said  to  him,  '  Why, 
my  lord,  what  make  you  so  great  a  matter  herein?  You 
see  many  Anabaptists  rise  against  the  sacrament  of  the 
altar;  I  pray  you,  my  lord,  be  diligent  in  confounding  of 
them;1  for  at  that  time  my  lord  of  Winchester  and  I 

1  "  Totus  orbis  cliristianus  in  transmarinis  et  longe  remotis  terris 
Ecclesiae  Romans  subjectus  est." 

[2  "  Both  once  one."  The  see  of  Oxford  was  erected  out  of  part 
of  the  ancient  diocese  of  Lincoln,  A.  D.  1542.  See  Richardson's  God 
win.  ED.] 


tionStaatntia" 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  265 

had  to  do  with  two  Anabaptists  in  Kent.  In  this  sense 
I  willed  my  lord  to  be  stiff  in  the  defence  of  the  sacra 
ment  against  the  detestable  errors  of  Anabaptists,  and  not 
in  the  confirmation  of  that  gross  and  carnal  opinion  now 
maintained. 

"In  like  sort,  as  touching  my  sermon  which  I  made  at 
Paul's  Cross,  you  shall  understand  that  there  were  at  Paul's, 
and  divers  other  places,  fixed  railing  bills  against  the  sacra- 
ment,  terming  it  '  Jack  of  the  box,1  '  the  sacrament  of  the  cross. 
halter,1  'round  Robin,'  with  such  like  unseemly  terms;  for 
the  which  causes  I,  to  rebuke  the  unreverend  behaviour  of 
certain  evil  disposed  persons,  preached  as  reverendly  of  that 
matter  as  I  might,  declaring  what  estimation  and  reverence 
ought  to  be  given  to  it,  what  danger  ensued  the  mishan 
dling  thereof;  affirming  in  that  sacrament  to  be  truly  and 
verily  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  effectually  by  grace  and 
spirit  :  which  words  the  unlearned,  understanding  not,  sup- 
posed  that  I  meant  of  the  gross  and  carnal  being  which 
the  Romish  decrees  set  forth,  that  a  body,  having  life  and 
motion,  should  be  indeed  under  the  shapes  of  bread  and 
wine." 

With  that  the  bishop  of  Lincoln,  somewhat  interrupting 
him,  said  :  — 

"  Well,  Master  Ridley,  thus  you  wrest  places  to  your  Jj 
own  pleasure  ;  for  whereas  St  Augustine  saith,  that  the  whole 
Christian  world  is  subject  to  the  see  of  Rome  without  any 
limitation,  and  useth  these  words,  '  In  transmarinis  et  longe 
remotis  terris,1  only  to  express  the  latitude  of  the  dominion 
of  the  see  of  Rome,  willing  thereby  to  declare  that  all  the 
world,  yea  countries  far  distant  from  Rome,  yet  nevertheless 
are  subject  to  that  see,  yet  you  would  wrest  it,  and  leave 
it  only  to  Europe.  I  am  sure  ye  will  not  deny,  but  that 
'totus  mundus1  is  more  than  Europe.11 

Ridley  :  —  "  Indeed,  my  lord,  if  St  Augustine  had  said, 
'simpliciter  totus  mundus,1  and  not  added  'in  transmarinis,1 
it  had  been  without  limitation  ;  but  in  that  he  said,  '  totus  Ausustine- 
mundus  in  transmarinis  partibus,1  'all  the  countries  beyond 
the  seas,1  he  himself  doth  limit  the  universal  proposition,  de 
claring  how  far  he  meant  by  'totus  mundus.111 


266  LAST     EXAMINATION 

The    bishop,   not    staying   for   his    answer,  did    proceed, 
saying : — 

"  Well,  if  I  should  stay  upon  this  place,  I  could  bring 
many  more  places  of  the  fathers  for  the  confirmation  thereof; 
but  we  have  certain  instructions,  according  to  the  which  we 
must  proceed,  and  came  not  hither  to  dispute  the  matter 
with  you,  but  only  to  take  your  answers  to  certain  articles ; 
and  used  this  in  the  way  of  disputation,  in  the  which  you 
interrupted  me :  wherefore  I  will  return  thither  again. 
Lincoln  "  Ye  must  consider  that  the  church  of  Christ  lieth  not 

returneth      ...... 

to  his         hidden,  but  is  a  city  on  the  mountain,  and  a  candle  on  the 

oration^ 

candlestick.     Ponder  with  yourself,  that  the  church  of  Christ 
is   'catholica,'    'catholic,1   which   is   deduced   of  Kara  o\ov, 
that  is  'per  omnia:'  so  that  Christ's   church  is   universally 
spread  throughout  the   world,   not  contained  in   the  alliga- 
then  doy-ou  **on  °^  P^aces'  no^  comprehended  in  the  circuit  of  England, 
the?ite  ofto  no^  contained  in  the  compass  of  Germany  and  Saxony,  as 
Home?        yOU1.  cllurch  is.     Wherefore,  Master  Ridley,  for  God's  love 
be  ye  not  singular  ;  acknowledge  with  all  the  realm  the  truth  : 
it  shall  not  be  (as  you  allege)  prejudicial  to  the  crown ;  for 
the  king  and   queen  their    majesties    have    renounced    that 
usurped  power  taken  of  their  predecessors,  and  justly  have 
;  renounced  it.     For  I  am  sure  you  know  that  there  are  two 
powers,   the   one   declared   by  the  sword,  the  other  by   the 
keys.     The  sword  is  given  to  kings  and  rulers  of  countries; 
the  keys  were  delivered  by  Christ  to  Peter,  and  of  him  left 
to  all  the  successors.     As  touching  our  goods,  possessions, 
and  lives,  we  with  you  acknowledge  us  subjects  to  the  king 
and  queen,  who  hath  the  temporal  sword;  but  as  concern 
ing  matters  of  religion,  as  touching   God's  quarrel  and  his 
England,     word,  we  acknowledge  another  head :  and  as  the  king  and 
tothekfnff,  the   queen  their   highnesses  do,  in  all  worldly  affairs,  iustlv 

and  how  to  " 

the  pope,  challenge  the  prerogative  and  primacy,  so  in  spiritual  and 
ecclesiastical  matters  they  acknowledge  themselves  not  to 
be  heads  and  rulers,  but  members  of  Christ's  body.  Why 
therefore  should  ye  stick  at  that  matter,  the  which  their 
majesties  have  forsaken  and  yielded? 

Sedfo"  "Wherefore,  Master  Ridley,  you  shall  not  only  not  do 
setf^™"  injury  to  the  crown,  and  be  prejudicial  to  their  majesties'" 
pope.  honour,  in  acknowledging  with  all  Christendom  the  pope's 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS. 


267 


holiness  to  bo  supreme  head  of  Christ's  church  here  militant 
in  earth,  but  do  a  thing  most  delectable  in  their  sight,  and 
most  desired  of  his  holiness.  Thus  if  you  will  do,  revoking 
together  all  your  errors,  acknowledging  with  the  residue  of 
the  realm  the  common  and  the  public  fault,  you  shall  do 
that  all  men  most  heartily  desire;  you  shall  bring  quietness 
to  your  conscience,  and  health  to  your  soul.  Then  shall  we 
with  great  joy,  by  the  authority  committed  to  us  from  the 
cardinal's  grace,  receive  you  into  the  church  again,  acknow 
ledging  you  to  be  no  longer  a  rotten,  but  a  lively  member 
of  the  same.  But  if  you  shall  still  be  singular,  if  you  shall 
still  and  obstinately  persevere  in  your  errors,  stubbornly  main 
taining  your  former  heresies,  then  we  must,  against  our  will, 
according  to  our  commission,  separate  you  from  us,  and  cut  ^JJ 
you  off  from  the  church,  lest  the  rottenness  of  one  part  in  *?t  before 

*  him. 

process  of  time  putrefy  and  corrupt  the  whole  body;  then 
must  we  confess  and  publish  you  to  be  none  of  ours ;  then 
must  we  yield  you  up  to  the  temporal  judges,  of  whom,  ex 
cept  it  otherwise  please  the  king  and  queen's  highness,  you 
must  receive  punishment  by  the  laws  of  this  realm  due  for 
heretics. 

"  Wherefore,  Master  Ridley,  consider  your  state ;  remem 
ber  your  former  degrees;  spare  your  body;  especially  con 
sider  your  soul,  which  Christ  so  dearly  brought  with  his  pre 
cious  blood.  Do  not  you  rashly  cast  away  that  which  was 
precious  in  God's  sight;  enforce  not  us  to  do  all  that  w^e 
may  do,  which  is  not  only  to  publish  you  to  be  none  of  us, 
to  cut  you  off  from  the  church;  for  we  do  not,  nor  cannot 
condemn  you  to  die  (as  most  untruly  hath  been  reported 
of  us),  but  that  is  the  temporal  judge's  office ;  we  only  de-  ^  tllilt 
clare  you  to  be  none  of  the  church ;  and  then  must  you,  ac-  yourselves 

*  have  assi£ii- 

cordmg  to  the  tenor  of  them,  and  pleasure  of  the  rulers,  abide    ' 
their  determination,   so   that  we,   after  we   have   given   you 
up  to  the  temporal  rulers,  have  no  further  to  do  with  you. 

"But  I  trust,  Master  Ridley,  we  shall  not  have  occa 
sion  to  do  that  we  may.  I  trust  you  will  suffer  us  to  rest 
in  that  point  of  our  commission,  which  we  most  heartily 
desire,  that  is,  upon  recantation  and  repentance  to  receive 
you,  to  reconcile  you,  and  again  to  adjoin  you  to  the  unity 
of  the  church." 


tnl  unto 
them. 


268  LAST    EXAMINATION 

Then  Master  Ridley,  with  often  interruption,  at  length 
spake : — 

Ridley™'  Ridley : — "  My  Lord,  I  acknowledge  an  unspotted  church 
Lincoln.  Qf  (jm.js^  jn  the  which  no  man  can  err,  without  the  which 
He  mean-  no  man  can  ke  saved;  the  which  is  spread  tliroughout  all 
Wehnera?°  the  world,  that  is,  the  congregation  of  the  faithful ;  neither 
Snra°iiyCesta-e  ^°  *  al%ate  or  bind  the  same  to  any  one  place,  as  you 
wished.  S8L{^  j^  confess  the  same  to  be  spread  throughout  all  the 
The  church  world ;  and  where  Christ's  sacraments  are  duly  ministered, 

tied  to  no  . 

place.         his  gospel  truly  preached  and  followed,  there  doth  Christ's 
church  shine  as  a  city  upon  a  hill,  and  as  a  candle  in  the 
candlestick :    but  rather  it  is  such  as  you  that  would  have 
the  church  of  Christ  bound  to   a  place,  which  appoint  the 
pieman]      sam©  to  Rome,  that  there,  and  no  where  else,  is  the  foun- 
biXh?  d°  dation  of  Christ's  church.     But  I  am   fully  persuaded  that 
certain t0a  Christ's  church  is  everywhere  founded,  in  every  place  where 
m's  gospel   is  truly  received  and   effectually  followed.     And 
ni  tnat  tne  church  of  God   is   in   doubt,   I  use  herein   the 
church1  to     wise  counsel  of  Vincentius  Lyrinensis,  whom  I  am  sure  you 
w^  allow,  who,  giving  precepts  how  the  catholic  church  may 
he  in  all  schisms  and  heresies  known,  writeth  in  this  manner : 
thTwordf     '  When,'  saith  he,  '  one  part  is  corrupted  with  heresies,  then 
Srchr?sten-  prefer  the  whole  world  before  that  one  part ;  but  if  the  greatest 
ed™ithfthe~  part  be  infected,  then  prefer  antiquity1.'     In  like  sort  now, 
Rome!101     when  I  perceive  the  greatest  part  of  Christianity  to  be  in 
fected  with  the  poison  of  the  see  of  Rome,  I  repair  to  the 
usage  of  the  primitive  church,  which  I  find  clean  contrary 
to  the  pope's  decrees;  as  in  that  the  priest  receiveth  alone, 
that  it  is  made  unlawful  to  the  laity  to  receive  in  both  kinds, 
and  such  like.     Wherefore  it  requireth  that  I  prefer  the  an 
tiquity   of  the   primitive    church   before    the   novelty   of  the 
Romish  church." 

Lincoln : — "  Master  Ridley,  these  faults  which  you  charge 
the  see  of  Rome  withal,  are  indeed  no  faults.  For  first,  it 

[x  Quid  igitur  faciet  Christianus  Catholicus,  si  se  aliqua  Ecclesiae 
particula  ab  universalis  fidei  communione  praeciderit  ?  Quid  utique,  nisi 
lit  pestifero  corruptoque  membro  sanitatem  universi  corporis  anteponat  ? 
Quid  si  novella  aliqua  contagio  non  jam  portiunculam  tantum,  sed  totam 
pariter  Ecclesiam  commaculare  conetur?  Tune  item  providebit  ut 
antiquitati  inhaereat,  quae  prorsus  jam  non  potest  ab  ulla  novitatis  fraude 
seduci.  Vincentius  Lyrinensis,  cap.  iv.  Ed.  Baluzii.  Cantab.  1687-1 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  269 

was  never  forbidden  the  laity,  but  that  they  might,  if  theyTheBohe- 

*  •  *  mians  re- 


, 

demanded,  receive  under  both  kinds.     You  know  also  that  q"|1red  that» 

Christ,  after  his  resurrection,  at  what  time  he  went  with  his  s^e.nt  for 

1  their  labour. 

apostles  to  Galilee,  opened  himself  by  breaking  of  bread. 
You  know  that  St  Paul,  after  his  long  sailing  towards  Koine, 
brake  bread,  and  that  the  apostles  came  together  in  breaking 
of  bread  ;  which  declareth  that  it  is  not  unlawful  to  minister 
the  sacrament  under  the  form  of  bread  only  :  and  yet  the  Great  rea- 

**  *  sons  of  the 

church  had  iust   occasion  to   decree,  that   the  laity  should  Romanists 

J  '  J  to  prove  the 

receive  in  one  kind  only,  thereby  to  take  away  an  opinion  of  Communion 
the   unlearned,   that   Christ   was   not  wholly   both  flesh  and  kind- 
blood  under  the  form   of  bread.     Therefore,  to   take  away 
their  opinion,  and  to  establish  better  the  people's  faith,  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  the  church  thought  fit  to   decree,  that  the 
laity  should  receive  only  in  one  kind  :  and  it  is  no  news  for  Argu- 

i  .  .  ment  ;—  The 

the  church  upon  just  consideration  to  alter  rites  and  cere-  church  did 
monies  ;  for  you  read  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  that  St  [),™cfp0ts°,f 
Paul,  writing  to  certain  of  the  Gentiles  which  had  received  of  strangled 

andblood- 

the  gospel,  biddeth  them  to  abstain,  c  a  suffbcato  et  sanguine,"  |nss  :,  er£o, 

'    the  church 

that   is,   from   things   stifled,  and   from  blood  ;   so  that  this  pewise 

0  hath  autho- 

seemeth  to  be  an  express  commandment  ;   yet  who  will  say  ?* 

but  that  it  is  lawful  to  eat  bloodings  ?  how  is  it  lawful,  but 

by  the  permission  of  the  church  ?  "  kinds- 

Ridley  :  —  "  My  lord,  such  things   as    St   Paul   enjoined  ^JJ|w^~t 
to  the  Gentiles  for  a  sufferance,  by  a  little  and  little  to  win  of  the  ai>°- 

»  sties  was  but 

the  Jews  to  Christ,  were  only  commandments  of  time,  and  for  a  time, 

*  and  for  a 

respected  not  the  successors  :  but  Christ's  commandment,  c  Do  Pjjj^fndby 
this,1  that   is,  that  which  he  did,  cin  remembrance,1  which  5?Hto  win 

tll6  JCWS* 

was  not  to  minister  in  one  kind  only,  was  not  a  commandment 
for  a  time,  but  to  persevere  to  the  world's  end." 

But  the  bishop  of  Lincoln,  not  attending  to  this  answer, 
without  any  stay,  proceeded  in  this  oration. 

Lincoln  :  —  "  So  that  the  church  seemeth  to  have  authority 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  Christ  said  he  would  send  after 
his  ascension,  which  should  teach  the  apostles  all  truth,  to 
have  power  and  jurisdiction  to  alter  such  points  of  the  Scrip 
ture,  ever  reserving  the  foundation.  But  we  came  not,  as 
I  said  before,  in  this  sort  to  reason  the  matter  with  you, 
but  have  certain  instructions  ministered  unto  us,  according 


270  LAST    EXAMINATION 

to  the  tenor  of  the  which  we  must  proceed,  proposing  certain 
articles,  unto  the  which  we  require  your  answer  directly, 
either  affirmatively  or  negatively  to  every  of  them,  either 
denying  them  or  granting  them,  without  further  disputations 
or  reasoning;  for  we  have  already  stretched  our  instructions, 
in  that  we  suffered  you  to  debate  and  reason  the  matter 
in  such  sort  as  we  have  done :  the  which  articles  you  shall 
hear  now ;  and  to-morrow,  at  eight  of  the  clock  in  St  Mary's 
Church,  we  will  require  and  take  your  answers;  and  then 
according  to  the  same  proceed.  And  if  you  require  a  copy 
of  them,  you  shall  have  it,  pen,  ink,  and  paper;  also  such 
books  as  you  shall  demand,  if  they  be  to  be  gotten  in  the 
university." 

Articles,  jointly  and  severally  ministered  to  DR  EIDLEY  and 
MASTER  LATIMER,  by  the  Pope's  Deputy. 

'In  Dei  nomine,  amen.  Nos  Johannes  Lincolniensis,  la- 
cobus  Glocestrensis,  et  Johannes  Bristollensis,  episcopi,  per 
reverendissimum  dominum  Eeginaldum,  miseratione  divina 
S.  Marise  in  Cosmedin,  sanctse  Eomanse  ecclesise  diaconum 
Cardinalem  "  Polum  nuncupatum,"  sanctissimi  domini  nostri 
papse,  et  sedis  apostolicse,  ad  serenissimos  Philippum  et 
Mariam  Anglise  reges  et  ad  universum  Anglise  regnuni 
legatum,  authoritate  sufficiente  delegati,  ad  inquirendum  de 
quodam  negotio  inquisitionis  hereticse  pravitatis  contra  et 
adversus  Hugonem  Latimerum  et  Nicholaum  Bidleyum  (pro 
episcopis  Vigornensi  et  Londoniensi  se  respective  gerentes,) 
specialiter  delegati,  et  contra  et  adversus  eorum  quemlibet 

[x  In  the  name  of  God,  amen ! — We,  John  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  James 
Bishop  of  Gloucester,  and  John  Bishop  of  Bristol,  delegated  by  the  most 
reverend  Lord  Reginald  "surnamed  Pole,"  by  divine  mercy  Cardinal 
Deacon  of  St  Mary  in  Cosmedin  of  the  holy  Roman  Church,  legate  of 
our  most  Holy  Father  the  Pope,  and  of  the  Apostolic  See,  to  the  most 
serene  sovereigns  of  England,  Philip  and  Mary,  and  to  the  whole  realm 
of  England, — with  sufficient  authority  to  inquire  concerning  a  certain 
matter  of  inquisition  of  heretical  pravity  against  Hugh  Latimer  and 
Nicholas  Ridley  claiming  to  be  respectively  bishops  of  Worcester  and 
London;  for  this  cause  being  especially  delegated  with  power  of  in 
quiring  against  either  of  them,  we  do  [accordingly]  accuse  and  specify 
against  them  jointly  and  severally  as  follows.  ED.] 


EEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  271 

inquirendo  proponimus,  et  articulamur  conjunctim  et  divisim, 
prout  sequitur3. 

1.  We  do  object  to  thee,  Nicholas  Ridley,  and  to  thee 
Hugh  Latimer,  jointly  and  severally ;  first,  that  thou  Nicholas 
Ridley,  in  this  high  university  'of  Oxford,  anno  1554,  in  the 
months  of  April,  May,  June,  July,  or  in  some  one  or  more 
of  them,  hast  affirmed,  and  openly  defended  and  maintained, 
and  in  many  other  times  and  places  besides,  that  the  true 
and  natural  body   of  Christ,   after  the   consecration  of  the 
priest,  is  not  really  present  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

2.  Item,   that  in  the  year  and  months  aforesaid,  thou 
hast  publicly  affirmed  and  defended,  that  in  the  sacrament 
of  the  altar  remaineth  still  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine. 

3.  Item,  that   in  the  said  year  and  months  thou  hast 
openly  affirmed,  and  obstinately  maintained,  that  in  the  mass 
is  no  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  quick  and  the  dead. 

4.  Item,  that  in  the  year,  place,  and  months  aforesaid, 
these  thy  foresaid  assertions  solemnly  have  been  condemned 
by  the  scholastical  censure  of  this  school,  as  heretical  and 
contrary  to  the  catholic  faith,  by  the  worshipful  Master  Doctor 
Weston,  prolocutor  then  of  the  convocation  house,  as  also 
by  other  learned  men  of  both  the  universities. 

5.  Item,    that   all  and  singular  the    premises  be  true, 
notorious,  famous,  and  openly  known  by  public  fame,  as  well 
to  them  near  hand,  and  also  to  them  in  distant  places  far  off. 

The  Examination  of  DR  RIDLEY  upon  tlie  said  Articles. 

All  these  articles  I  thought  good  here  to  place  together, 
that  as  often  as  hereafter  rehearsal  shall  be  of  any  of  them, 
the  reader  may  have  recourse  hither,  and  peruse  the  same ; 
and  not  to  trouble  the  story  with  several  repetitions  thereof. 
After  these  articles  were  read,  the  bishops  took  counsel  to 
gether.  At  the  last  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  said : 

Lincoln : — "  These  are  the  very  same  articles  which  you, 
in  open  disputation  here  in  the  university,  did  maintain  and 
defend.  What  say  you  unto  the  first  I  I  pray  you  answer 
affirmatively  or  negatively." 

2  The  articles  here  follow  in  Latin  in  the   First  Edition  of  Fox, 
page  1362,  and  will  be  found  here  in  Appendix  II. 


272  LAST    EXAMINATION 

Ridley: — "Why,  my  lord,  I  supposed  your  gentleness 
had  been  such,  that  you  would  have  given  me  space  until 
to-morrow,  that,  upon  good  advisement,  I  might  bring  a  de 
terminate  answer." 

Lincoln : — "  Yea,  Master  Ridley,  I  mean  not  that  your 
answers  now  shall  be  prejudicial  to  your  answers  to-morrow. 
I  will  take  your  answers  at  this  time,  and  yet  notwithstanding 
it  shall  be  lawful  to  you  to  add,  diminish,  alter,  and  change 
of  these  answers  to-morrow,  what  you  will." 

Ridley : — "  Indeed,  in  like  manner  at  our  last  disputa 
tions  I  had  many  things  promised,  and  few  performed.  It 
was  said,  that  after  disputations  I  should  have  a  copy  there 
of,  and  license  to  change  mine  answers,  as  I  should  think 
good.  It  was  meet  also,  that  I  should  have  seen  what  was 
written  by  the  notaries  at  that  time.  So  your  lordship  pre 
tended  great  gentleness  in  giving  me  a  time ;  but  this  gentle- 
ness  is  the  same  that  Christ  had  of  the  high  priest.  For 

priests  had 

not  power  to  you,  as  your  lordship  saith,  have  no  power  to  condemn  me, 
to  death,      neither  at  any  time  to  put  a  man  to  death :  so,  in  like  sort, 

but  they  had  *  L 

power  to      the  high  priests  said,  that  it  was  not  lawful  for  them  to  put 

commit  him  *  A 

to  Pilate,     any  man  to  death,  but  committed  Christ  to  Pilate,  neither 

neither  J 

would  they  would  suffer  him  to  absolve  Christ,  although  he  sought  all 

suffer  him 

g Absolve    the  means  therefore  that  he  might." 

Then  spake  Dr  Weston,  one  of  the  audience : 

Sethhis         Weston :— "  What !  do  you  make  the  king  Pilate?" 

Ridley: — "No,  master  doctor;  I  do  but  compare  your 
deeds  with  Caiaphas^s  deeds,  and  the  high  priests'",  which 
would  condemn  no  man  to  death,  as  ye  will  not,  and  yet 
would  not  suffer  Pilate  to  absolve  and  deliver  Christ." 

Lincoln: — "Master  Ridley,  we  mind  not  but  that  you 
shall  enjoy  the  benefit  of  answering  to-morrow,  and  will  take 
your  answers  now  as  now ;  to-morrow  you  shall  change,  take 
out,  add,  and  alter  what  you  will.  In  the  mean  season  we 
require  you  to  answer  directly  to  every  article,  either  affirm 
atively  or  negatively." 

Ridley : — "  Seeing  you  appoint  me  a  time  to  answer  to- 
Ridiey.        morrow,  and  yet  will  take  mine  answers  out  of  hand,  first, 
I   require  the  notaries  to  take  and  write   my  protestation, 
that  in  no  point   I   acknowledge   your  authority,   or  admit 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS. 


273 


you  to  be  my  judges,  in  that  point  that  you  are  authorized 
from  the  pope.  Therefore,  whatsoever  I  shall  say  or  do,  I 
protest,  I  neither  say  it  neither  do  it  willingly,  thereby  to 
admit  the  authority  of  the  pope ;  and,  if  your  lordship  will 
give  me  leave,  I  will  shew  the  causes  which  move  me  there 
unto." 

Lincoln: — "No,  Master  Eidley,  we  have  instructions  to 
the  contrary.  We  may  not  suffer  you." 

Ridley: — "I  will  be  short;  I  pray  your  lordships  suffer 
me  to  speak  in  few  words." 

Lincoln : — "  No,  Master  Ridley,  we  may  not  abuse  the  Ridley  not 

,  .  tospeak- 

hearers   ears. 

Eidley : — "  Why,  my  lord,  suffer  me  to  speak  three 
words." 

Lincoln : — "  Well,  Master  Ridley,  to-morrow  you  shall 
speak  forty.  The  time  is  far  past ;  therefore  we  require  your 
answer  determinately.  What  say  you  to  the  first  article  2" 

And  thereupon  rehearsed  the  same. 

Ridley : — "  My  protestation  always   saved,   that  by  this  HOW  the 
mine  answer  I  do  not  condescend  to  your  authority  in  that  Christ  may 

i  ±1  T  ,1  T  ,1      be  said  to  be 

you  are  legate  to  the  pope,  I  answer  thus :   In  a  sense  the  really,  and 
first  article  is  true,  and  in  a  sense  it  is  false :    for  if  you  really,  in 
take  really  for  vere,  for  spiritually,  by  grace   and  efficacy,  menl 
then  it  is  true  that  the  natural  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is 
in  the  sacrament  vere  et  realiter,  indeed  and  really;  but  if 
you  take  these  terms  so   grossly,  that  you  would  conclude 
thereby  a  natural  body  having  motion  to  be  contained  under 
the  forms  of  bread  and  wine,  vere  et  realiter,  then  really  is 
not  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament,  no  more 
than  the  Holy   Ghost  is  in  the  element  of  water  in  our 
baptism." 

Because  this  answer  was  not  understood,  the  notaries  wist 
not  how  to  note  it:  wherefore  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  willed 
him  to  answer  either  affirmatively  or  negatively,  either  to 
grant  the  article,  or  to  deny  it. 

Ridley: — "My  lord,  you  know  that  where  any  equivo 
cation  (which  is  a  word  having  two  significations)  is,  except 
distinction  be  given,  no  direct  answer  can  be  made ;  for  it 

18 

[RIDLEY.] 


274  LAST    EXAMINATION 

^  one  of  Aristotle's  fallacies,  containing  two  questions  under 
papisJand  one,  the  which  cannot  be   satisfied  with   one  answer.     For 
?n°graSSigJ  both  you  an<*  I  agree  herein,  that  in  the  sacrament  is  the 
sencper,edo     very  true  and  natural  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  even  that 
KVman-  which  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  which  ascended  into 
SSy° djfferg)  heaven,  which  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father, 
may  be  in     which  shall  come  from  thence  to  judge  the  quick  and  the 
ment,  ami    dead ;  only  we  differ  in  modo,  in  the  way  and  manner  of  being  : 
we  confess  all  one  thing  to  be  in  the  sacrament,  and  dissent 
in  the  manner  of  being  there.     I,  being  fully  by  God's  word 
thereunto  persuaded,  confess  Christ's  natural  body  to  be  in 
the  sacrament  indeed  by  spirit  and  grace,  because  that  who* 
soever  receiveth  worthily  that  bread  and  wine,  receiveth  ef- 
fectuously  Christ's  body,  and  drinketh  his  blood  (that  is,  he 
is  made  effectually  partaker  of  his  passion) ;  and  you  make 
a  grosser  kind  of  being,  enclosing  a  natural,  a  lively,  and 
a  moving  body,  under  the  shape  or  form  of  bread  and  wine. 
Now,  this  difference  considered,  to  the  question  thus  I  an 
swer,  that  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  is  the  natural  body 
and  blood  of  Christ  vere  et  realiter,  indeed  and  really,  for 
spiritually,   by  grace  and  efficacy;    for  so  every  worthy  re 
ceiver  receiveth  the  very  true  body  of  Christ.     But  if  you 
mean  really  and  indeed,  so  that  thereby  you  would  include 
a  lively  and  a  moveable  body  under  the  forms  of  bread  and 
wine,  then,  in  that  sense,  is  not  Christ's  body  in  the  sacra- 
meant  really  and  indeed." 

This  answer  taken  and  penned  of  the  notaries,  the  bishop 
of  Lincoln  proposed  the  second  question  or  article.  To  whom 
he  answered: 

what  Ridley : — "  Always  my  protestation  reserved,  I  answer  thus ; 

the  sacra-    that  in  the  sacrament  is  a  certain  change,  in  that  that  bread, 
bread.        which  was  before  common  bread,  is  now  made  a  lively  pre 
sentation  of  Christ's  body,  and  not  only  a  figure,  but  effec- 
tuously  representeth  his  body;  that  even  as  the  mortal  body 
was  nourished  by  that  visible  bread,  so  is  the  internal  soul 
fed  with  the  heavenly  food  of  Christ's  body,  which  the  eyes 
AviruMiot*1    °f  fa^h   see?   as  the   bodily   eyes  see   only  bread.     Such  a 
changed,     sacramental  mutation  I  grant  to  be  in  the  bread  and  wine, 
which  truly  is  no  small  change,  but  such  a   change  as  no 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  275 

mortal  man  can  make,  but  only  that  omnipotency  of  Christ  s 
word." 

Then  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  willed  him  to  answer  directly, 
either  affirmatively  or  negatively,  without  further  declaration 
of  the  matter.  Then  he  answered : 

Ridley: — "That  notwithstanding  this  sacramental  muta- comparison 
tion  of  the  which  he  spake,  and  all  the  doctors  confessed,  communion 
the  true  substance  and  nature  of  bread  and  wine  remaineth :  Ssm. ap 
with  the  which  the  body  is  in  like  sort   nourished,  as  the 
soul  is  by  grace  and  Spirit  with  the  body  of  Christ.     Even 
so   in  baptism  the  body  is  washed  with  the  visible  water, 
and  the  soul  is  cleansed  from  all  filth  by  the  invisible  Holy 
Ghost ;  and  yet  the  water  ceaseth  not  to  be  water,  but  keepeth 
the  nature  of  water  still:   in  like  sort,  in  the  sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  the  bread  ceaseth  not  to  be  bread." 

Then  the  notaries  penned,  that  he  answered  affirmatively  Dvjf^veeen 
to   the  second  article.     The  bishop   of   Lincoln   declared  a  *¥  commu- 

1  m  nion  and 

difference  between  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  and  baptism,  baptism. 
because  that  Christ  said  not  by  the  water,  "  This  is  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  as  he  did  by  the  bread,  "This  is  my  body." 

Then  Master  Ridley  recited  St  Augustine,  who  conferred 
both  the  sacraments  the  one  with  the  other :  but  the  bishop 
of  Lincoln  notwithstanding  thereupon  recited  the  third  article, 
and  required  a  direct  answer.  To  whom  Ridley  said: 

Ridley : — "  Christ,  as  St  Paul  writeth,  made  one  perfect  Answer  to 
sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,   neither   can   any  article. 
man  reiterate  that  sacrifice  of  his ;  and  yet  is  the  communion 
an  acceptable  sacrifice  to  God   of  praise   and   thanksgiving. 
But  to  say  that  thereby  sins  are  taken  away  (which  wholly  Propitiatory 
and   perfectly  was   done  by   Chrises   passion,   of  the   which  the  mass  is 

,  .  v       i          •  i  a  derogation 

the  communion  is  only  a  memory),  that  is  a  great  deroga- to  Christ's 
tions  of  the  merits  of  Christ's  passion :  for  the  sacrament  was 
instituted,  that  we,  receiving  it,  and  thereby  recognising  and 
remembering  his  passion,  should  be  partakers  of  the  merits 
of  the  same.  For  otherwise  doth  this  sacrament  take  upon 
it  the  office  of  Christ's  passion,  whereby  it  might  follow,  that 
Christ  died  in  vain." 

18—2 


276 


LAST    EXAMINATION 


The  notaries  penned  this  his  answer  to  be  affirmatively. 
Then  said  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  : 


sacrifice y  Lincoln : — "  Indeed,  as  you  allege  out  of  St  Paul,  Christ 
made  one  perfect  oblation  for  all  the  whole  world,  that  is, 
that  bloody  sacrifice  upon  the  cross :  yet  nevertheless  he 
hath  left  this  sacrifice,  but  not  bloody,  in  the  remembrance 
of  that  by  the  which  sins  are  forgiven;  the  which  is  no 
derogation  of  Christ's  passion." 


Answer  to 
the  fourth 
article. 


Then  recited  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  the  fourth  article. 
To  the  which  Master  Ridley  answered,  that  in  some  part 
the  fourth  was  true,  and  in  some  part  false ;  true,  in  that 
those  his  assertions  were  condemned  as  heresies,  although 
unjustly ;  false,  in  that  it  was  said  they  were  condemned 
scientia  scholastica,  in  that  the  disputations  were  in  such  sort 
ordered,  that  it  was  far  from  any  school  act. 

This  answer  penned  of  the  notaries,  the  bishop  of  Lin 
coln  rehearsed  the  fifth  article.  To  the  which  Ridley  an 
swered,  that  the  premises  were  in  such  sort  true,  as  in  these 
his  answers  he  had  declared.  Whether  that  all  men  spake 
evil  of  them,  he  knew  not,  in  that  he  came  not  so  much 
abroad  to  hear  what  every  man  reported. 

This  answer  also  written  of  the  notaries,  the  bishop  of 
Lincoln  said : 


ie  next 
day. 


Ridley  as-          Lincoln  : — "  To-morrow,  at  eight  of  the  clock,  you  shall 
apepearagain  appear  before  us  in  St  Mary's  church ;    and  then,  because 

the  next  J  ' 

we  cannot  well  agree  upon  your  answer  to  the  first  article 
[for  it  was  long  before  he  was  understood],  if  it  will  please 
you  to  write  your  answer,  you  shall  have  pen,  ink,  and  paper, 
and  books,  such  as  you  shall  require:  but  if  you  write  any 
thing  saving  your  answers  to  these  articles,  we  will  not  re 
ceive  it." 


So  he,  charging  the  mayor  with  him,  declaring  also  to 
the  mayor  that  he  should  suffer  him  to  have  a  pen  and  ink, 
dismissed  Master  Ridley,  and  sent  for  Master  Latimer,  who, 
being  brought  to  the  divinity  school,  there  tarried  till  they 
called  for  him. 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  277 

Here  followeth  the  Second  Day's  Session. 

The  next  day  following  (which  was  the  first  day  of  Oc 
tober),  somewhat  after  eight  of  the  clock,  the  said  lords  re 
paired  to  St  Mary's  church;  and  after  they  were  set  in  a 
high  throne  well  trimmed  with  cloth  of  tissue  and  silk,  then 
appeared  Master  Ridley,  who  was  set  at  a  framed  table  a 
good  space  from  the  bishop's  feet,  which  table  had  a  silk 
cloth  cast  over  it,  the  which  place  was  compassed  about 
with  framed  seats  in  quadrate  form,  partly  for  gentlemen 
which  repaired  thither  (for  this  was  the  session  day  also  of 
gaol-delivery)  and  heads  of  the  university  to  sit,  and  partly  Rjjfjjj'cseap' 
to  keep  off  the  press  of  the  audience :  for  the  whole  body,  Jj 
as  well  of  the  university  as  of  the  town,  came  thither  to 
see  the  end  of  these  two  persons.  After  Master  Ridley's 
appearance,  and  the  silence  of  the  audience,  the  bishop  of 
Lincoln  spake  in  manner  following: 

Lincoln : — "  Master  Ridley,  yesterday  when  that  we  dial-  The  words 

.    ''  J  J  of  Master 

lenged  you  for  not  uncovering  your  head,  you  excused  your-  Wh^e'  f 
self  of  that  whereof  no  man  accused  you,  in  saying  you  did  Lincoln,  to 
not  put  on  your  cap  for  any  obstinacy  towards  us,  which  as  about  nis 
touching  our  own  persons  desired  no  such  obedience  of  you, 
but  only  in  respect  of  them  whose  persons  we  bear ;   neither 
(you  said)  for  any  contempt  that  you  bear  to  this  worship 
ful  audience,  which,  although  they  justly  may,  yet  in  this 
case  require  no  such  humility  of  you ;   neither  for  any  dero 
gation  of  honour  to  my  lord  cardinal's  grace,  in  that  he  is 
descended  from  the  regal  blood,  in  that  he  is  a  man  most 
noble,  both  for  his  excellent  qualities  and  singular  learning: 
for,  as  touching  those  points,  you  said,  you  with  all  humility 
would  honour,  reverence,  and  worship  his  grace ;   but  in  that 
he  is  legate  to  the  most  reverend  father  in  God  the  pope's 
holiness  [with  that  the  bishop  and  all  then  present  put  off  ^£h.|fthe 
their  caps,  but  Master  Ridley  moved  not  his]  you  said  you  ™rae  of  the 
neither  could  nor  would  by  any  means  be  induced  to  give 
him   honour;    but  forasmuch   as   this    is   the  point,   as   we 
told  you   yesterday,  why  we  require   honour  and  reverence 
of  you,  we  tell  you  now  as  we  did  then,  except  you  take 
the  pains  to  move  your  bonnet,  we  will  take  the  pains  to 


LAST    EXAMINATION 

cause   your  bonnet  to  be  taken  from  you,  except  you  pre 
tend  sickness,  as  yesterday  you  did  not.11 
Ridley  re-  Ridley : — "  I  pretend  now  none  other  cause,  than  I  did 

fusethtoput  .,  ,  , 

oft- his  cap    yesterday;   that  is,  only  that  hereby  it  may  appear  that  not 
or  to  them'  only  in  word  and  confession,  but  also  by  all  my  gesture  and 

which  come  .     ,       .  .  ....  ,     .  , 

from  the  behaviour,  in  no  point  I  agree  or  admit  any  authority  or 
power  that  shall  come  from  the  pope ;  and  not  for  any 
pride  of  mind  (as  God  is  my  judge),  neither  for  contempt 
of  your  lordships  or  of  this  worshipful  audience,  neither  for 
derogation  of  honour  due  to  my  lord  cardinal's  grace  as  con 
cerning  those  points  which  your  lordship  spake  of;  that  is, 
his  noble  parentage  and  singular  graces  in  learning.  And 
as  for  taking  my  cap  away,  your  lordship  may  do  as  it  shall 
please  you ;  it  shall  not  offend  me,  but  I  shall  be  content 
with  your  ordinance  in  that  behalf." 

Lincoln : — "  Forasmuch  as  you  do  answer  now  as  you 
did  yesterday,  we  must  do  also  as  we  did  then :"  and  forthwith 
•one  of  his  beadles  very  hastily  snatched  his  cap  from  his 
head. 

After  this  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  began  the  examination 
in  sense  following: 

The  former         Lincoln : — "  Master    Ridley,    yesterday    we    took    your 

examination  ,    .  t.  ,  ,  .  ,  ..  , 

of  Ridley,  answer  to  certain  articles,  which  we  then  proposed  unto 
of  the  you:  but  because  we  could  not  be  thoroughly  satisfied  with 
Lincoln.  your  answer  then  to  the  first  article,  neither  could  the  notaries 
take  any  determinate  answer  of  you,  we  (you  requiring  the 
same)  granted  you  license  to  bring  your  answer  in  writing, 
and  thereupon  commanded  the  mayor  that  you  should  have 
pen,  paper  and  ink,  yea  any  books  also  that  you  would  re 
quire,  if  they  were  to  be  gotten :  we  licensed  you  then  also 
to  alter  your  former  answers  this  day  at  your  pleasure.  There 
fore  we  are  come  now  hither,  to  see  whether  you  are  in  the 
same  mind  now  that  you  were  in  yesterday  (which  we  would 
not  wish),  or  contrary,  contented  to  revoke  all  your  former 
assertions,  and  in  all  points  consent  to  submit  yourself  to 
the  determination  of  the  universal  church ;  and  I  for  my 
part  most  earnestly  exhort  you  [and  therewith  he  put  off 
his  cap],  not  because  my  conscience  pncketh  me,  as  yois 
said  yesterday,  but  because  I  see  you  a  rotten  member,  and 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  279 

in  the  way  of  perdition.  Yesterday  I  brought  forth  amongst 
others  St  Augustine,  to  prove  that  authority  hath  always 
been  given  to  the  see  of  Rome,  and  you  wrested  the  words 
far  contrary  to  St  Augustine's  meaning,  in  that  you  would 
have  'totus  mundus'  to  be  applied  only  to  Europe,  which 
is  but  the  third  part  of  all  the  world  l  :  whereas,  indeed,  the 
process  of  St  Augustine's  words,  will  not  admit  that  your 

interpretation  ;    for  he   saith  not  '  totus  mundus  Christianus  Pie  PIace  of 

st  Aust 


.  .  . 

in   transmarinis,'   &c.,  but   first    '  totus   mundus    Christianus 

\  m     m  repeated, 

Romanse    ecclesise    subjectus    est  :'    'all   the   Christian  world  'Totus 

«*  mundus. 

is  subject  to  the  church  of  Rome,''  and  afterwards  addeth, 
4  in  transmarinis  partibus,'  'beyond  the  sea,'  but  only  to  aug 
ment  the  dominion  of  the  see  of  Rome." 

But  Master  Ridley  still  persevered  in  his  former  answer, 
saying  ; 

"  I  am  sure,  my  lord,  you  have  some  skill  in  cosmography, 
in  the  which  you  shall  understand  that  there  is  a  -sea  called 
'  Mare  Mediterraneum,'  cast  between  Europe  and  Africa,  in 
the  which  be  meant  Europe  beyond  the  sea;  even  as  I 
should  say  the  whole  world  beyond  the  sea,  excepting  Eng 
land  in  the  winch  I  stand." 

And  here  many  words  were  spent  upon  the  interpretation 
of  the  same  place  of  St  Augustine.  After  long  disceptation, 
the  bishop  of  Lincoln  said,  that  the  meaning  of  St  Augus 
tine  might  be  known  by  the  consent  of  other  the  doctors; 
and  rehearsed  divers.  But  Master  Ridley  required  the  re- 
hearsal  of  the  places,  and  to  read  the  very  words  of  the 
doctors,  saying,  that  perhaps  those  which  the  bishop  re 
hearsed,  being  proponed  in  other  terms  in  the  doctors,  would 
admit  a  contrary  meaning  and  interpretation:  but  in  that 
book,  out  of  the  which  the  bishop  rehearsed  them,  were  none 
of  the  doctors,  but  only  the  sentences  drawn  out  of  the 

[x  America  was  discovered  by  Columbus  Aug.  4,  1498,  but  was  not 
for  some  time  regarded  as  a  fourth  quarter  of  the  world.  Fox,  about 
156G,  makes  the  following  remark,  "  The  world  being  divided  commonly 
into  three  parts,  Asia,  Africa,  and  Europe  Asia  is  counted  to  be  the 
greatest  in  compass,  containing  as  much  as  both  the  others."  (Ed.  1836, 
vol.  iv.  p.  88.)  ED.] 


280  LAST    EXAMINATION 

doctors  by  some  studious  man :  he  could  not  recite  the  very 
words  of  the  doctors. 
A  place  of          Then  after,  Lincoln  came  to  Cyril,  which  (as  he  said) 

Cyrilalleged  '  *  ' 

byMeianc-  made  against  Master  Ridley  in  the  sacrament,  even  by 
Philip  Melancthon's  own  alleging  in  his  Common  Places1 ; 
and  forthwith  he  called  for  Melancthon,  but  in  vain,  be 
cause  all  such  books  were  burned  a  little  before2 :  wherefore 
he  passed  it  over. 

"Ar£u-  "  Cyril  also,  in  another  place,  proving  to  the  Jews  that 

contrario  Christ  was  come,  useth  this  reason,  '  Altars  are  erected  in 
cyriiio  con-  Christ's  name  in  Britain,  and  in  far  countries :  Ergo,  Christ 

traJudaeos."  .  _      . 

Altars  be  is  come.  But  we  may  use  the  contrary  of  that  reason, 
Christ's xe.  'Altars  are  plucked  down  in  Britain:  Ergo,  Christ  is  not 

merabrance  " 

in  Britain:   come.      A  good  argument  a  contrams.     I  will  stand  to  it 

Ergo,  Christ  &  3 

is  come.      m  the  schools  by  and  by  with  any  man.     Ye  see  what  a 

Altars  be  *  J  J 

now  plucked  good  argument  this  your  doctrine  maketh  for  the  Jews,  to 

downmBri-  °  6  J 

tain:  Ergo,  prove  that  Christ  is  not  come. 

Christ  is  not  L 

Dr  Ridley  smiling  answered,  "  Your  lordship  is  not  igno- 
s  rant  that  this  word  'altare,'  in  the  Scripture,  signifieth  as 
J?  ?P,nf{J?'  well  the  altar  whereupon  the  Jews  were  wont  to  make  their 
aiteaersnmtL^urnt  sacrifices>  as  tne  taWe  of  the  Lord's  supper.  Cyril 
antecedent,  meaneth  there  by  this  word  'altare,1  not  the  Jewish  altar, 

and  pluck-  » 

i"Srds°innthe  ^ut  ^e  ta^e  °^  tne  ^ord,  an(^  by  tnat  ^J^g*  '  Altars  are 
benno?c<m-'  erecte(i  m  Christ's  name :  Ergo,  Christ  is  come,1  he  meaneth 
thelntece-  ^iat  ^e  commum'on  is  ministered  in  his  remembrance  :  Ergo, 
Sne^tne  Christ  is  come.  For  the  strength  of  his  argument  is,  because 
efsefhe  ceie- tne  remembrance  of  a  thing  cannot  be  except  itself  be  past : 
SifixSd's  tnen  could  not  all  countries  celebrate  the  communion  in  re- 
h"sp?emenm-  membrance  of  Christ's  passion,  except  Christ  had  been  come 

Q1  The  "Loci  Communes  rerum  Theol.,  sen  Hypotyposes  Theolo- 
gicae,"  first  published  at  Wittenberg,  1521  (of  which  the  second  in  1522 
has  been  consulted),  does  not  mention  the  name  of  Cyril  or  any  other 
under  the  head  "  De  ccena  Domini."  They  seem  to  have  been  written  at 
first  without  alleging  testimonies :  these  were  afterwards  added.  ED.] 

Q2  This  refers  to  a  "proclamation  set  out  by  the  King  and  Queen 
for  the  restraining  of  all  books  and  writings  tending  against  the  doc 
trine  of  the  Pope  and  his  church":  it  is  dated,  Hampton  Court,  June  13, 
1555.  It  is  given  by  Fox  (Ed.  1836,  vol.  vii.  p.  127),  and  by  Wilkins 
(Concilia,  torn.  iv.  p.  198).  Melancthon's  name  is  specified  in  the  pro 
clamation,  among  many  others.  ED.] 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS. 


281 


and  suffered.     As  for  the  taking  down  of  the  altars,  it  was  brance.  in 

T  .  n         -i  -,  the  conse- 

done  upon  just  considerations,  for  that  they  seemed  to  come  quent,  by 
too  nigh  to  the  Jews1  usage  :   neither  was  the  supper  of  the  down  of 

•w-  -m  •  ••  i        r         i  IT  •          1      clltflTSj  IS 

Lord  at  any  time  better  ministered,  for  |  more  duly  received,  meant  the 


, 

than  in  those  latter  days  when  all  things  were  brought  to  of  places  and 

.  *  °  monuments 

the  rites  and  usage  of  the  primitive  church.  serving  not 

Lincoln  :  —  "  A  goodly  receiving,  I  promise  you,  to  set  an  Lord's  sup- 
oyster  table  instead  of  an  altar,  and  to  come  from  puddings  idolatry, 

J  '    whereby  the 

at  Westminster,  to  receive  :  and  yet,  when  your  table  was  con-  true  table  of 

*      '  J  the  Lord's 

stituted,  you  could  never  be  content,  in  placing  the  same  now  supper,  in 
east,  now  north,  now  one  way,  now  another,  until  it  pleased 
God  of  his  goodness  to  place  it  clean  out  of  the  church." 

Ridley  :  —  "  Your  lordship^s  unreverend  terms  do  not 
elevate  the  thing.  Perhaps  some  men  came  more  devoutly 
from  puddings,  than  other  men  now  do  from  other  things." 

Lincoln  :  —  "  As  for  that,  Master  Eidley,  you  ought  to 
be  judge  of  no  man:  but  by  this  your  reasoning  you  cause 
us  to  stretch  and  enlarge  our  instructions.  We  came  not  to 
reason,  but  to  take  your  determinate  answers  to  our  articles  ;" 
and  eftsoons  he  read  the  first  article  in  manner  above  speci 
fied.  "  Now,  Master  Ridley,  what  say  you  to  the  first  article  I 
If  you  have  brought  your  answer  in  writing,  we  will  receive 
it:  but  if  you  have  written  any  other  matter,  we  will  not 
receive  it." 

Then  Master  Ridley  took  a  sheet  of  paper  out  of  his  The  articles 

read  n  train 

bosom,  and  began  to  read  that  which  he  had  written  :    but 


the  bishop  of  Lincoln  commanded  the  beadle  to  take  it  from  feredtoread 
him.     But  he  desired  license  to  read  it,  saying  that  it  was 
nothing  but  his  answer,  but  the  bishop  would  in  no  wise 
suffer  him. 

Eidley  :  —  "  Why,  my  lord,  will  you  require  my  answer, 
and  not  suffer  me  to  publish  it?  I  beseech  you,  my  lord, 
let  the  audience  bear  witness  in  this  matter.  Your  lord 
ships  may  handle  it  at  your  pleasure:  therefore  let  the 
audience  be  witness  to  your  doings." 

Lincoln  :—  "  Well,  Master  Ridley,  we  will  first  see  what 
you  have  written,  and  then,  if  we  shall  think  it  good  to  be 
read,  you  shall  have  it  published  ;  but  except  you  will  deliver 
it  first,  we  will  take  none  at  all  of  you." 


282  LAST    EXAMINATION 

With  that  Master  Ridley,  seeing  no  remedy,  delivered 
it  to  an  officer,  who  immediately  delivered  it  to  the  bishop 
of  Lincoln,  who,  after  he  had  secretly  communicated  it  to 
the  other  two  bishops,  declared  the  sense,  but  would  not 
read  it  as  it  was  written,  saying,  that  it  contained  words 
of  blasphemy;  therefore  he  would  not  fill  the  ears  of  the 
audience  therewithal,  and  so  abuse  their  patience.  Notwith 
standing  Master  Ridley  desired  very  instantly  to  have  it 
published,  saying  that,  except  a  line  or  two,  there  was  nothing 
contained  but  the  ancient  doctors1  sayings,  for  the  confirma 
tion  of  his  assertion. 

After  the  said  bishops  had  secretly  viewed  the  whole, 
then  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  said: — 

Lincoln: — "In  the  first  part,  Master  Ridley,  is  nothing 
contained  but  your  protestation,  that  you  would  not  have 
these  your  answers  so  to  be  taken  as  though  you  seemed 
thereby  to  consent  to  the  authority  or  jurisdiction  of  the 
pope's  holiness." 

Ridley : — "  No,  my  lord,  I  pray  you  read  it  out  that 
the  audience  may  hear  it." 

But  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  would  in  no  wise,  because  (he 
said)  there  were  contained  words  of  blasphemy. 

First  article.  Then  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  recited  the  first  article,  and 
required  Master  Ridley's  answer  to  it.  Then  Master  Ridley 
said,  that  his  answer  was  there  in  writing,  and  desired  that 
it  might  be  published:  but  the  bishop  would  not  read  the 
whole,  but  here  and  there  a  piece  of  it.  So  the  notaries 
took  his  answer,  that  he  referred  him  to  his  answer  in 
writing  exhibited  now,  and  also  before  at  the  time  of  dis 
putation,  Master  doctor  Weston  being  prolocutor. 

second  jn  \fce  wjse  uie  bishop  of  Lincoln  recited  the   second 

article,  and  required  an  answer,  and  Master  Ridley  referred 
him  to  his  answer  in  writing,  exhibited  now,  and  also  before 
at  the  time  of  disputation :  and  like  answers  were  taken  to 
all  the  residue  of  the  articles. 

These  answers  in  this  manner  rehearsed,  taken  and 
penned  of  the  notaries,  the  bishop  of  Gloucester  began  an 
exhortation  to  move  Master  Ridley  to  turn. 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS. 


283 


Gloucester : — "  If  you  would  once  empty  your  stomach,  The  words 

*     _  .  r  J     J  .       ofexhort- 

captivate  your  senses,  subdue  your  reason,  and  together  with  gjjjjjk°f 
us  consider  what  a  feeble  ground  of  your  religion  you  have,  Ridley. 
I  do  not  doubt  but  you  might  easily  be  induced  to  acknow 
ledge  one  church  with  us,  to  confess  one  faith  with  us,  and 
to  believe  one  religion  with  us.  For  what  a  weak  and  feeble 
stay  in  religion  is  this,  I  pray  you?  Latimer  leaneth  to 
Cranmer,  Cranmer  to  Eidley,  and  Ridley  to  the  singularity 
of  his  own  wit:  so  that  if  you  overthrew  the  singularity  of 
."Ridley's  wit,  then  must  needs  the  religion  of  Cranmer  and 
Latimer  fall  also.  You  remember  well,  Master  Ridley,  that 
the  prophet  speaketh  most  truly,  saying,  '  Vse,  vse,1  '  Woe 
be  to  them  which  are  singular  and  wise  in  their  own 
conceits.1 

"  But  you  will  say  here,  '  It  is  true  that  the  prophet 
saith :  but  how  know  you  that  I  am  wise  in  mine  own  con 
ceit  f  Yes,  Master  Eidley,  you  refuse  the  determination 
of  the  catholic  church ;  you  must  needs  be  singular  and  wise 
in  your  own  conceit,  for  you  bring  Scripture  for  the  proba 
tion  of  your  assertions,  and  we  also  bring  Scriptures ;  you 
understand  them  in  one  sense,  and  we  in  another.  How 
will  you  know  the  truth  herein?  If  you  stand  to  your  own 
interpretation,  then  you  are  singular  in  your  own  conceit : 
but  if  you  say  you  will  follow  the  minds  of  the  doctors  and 
ancient  fathers,  semblably  you  understand  them  in  one  mean 
ing,  and  we  take  them  in  another.  How  will  ye  know  the 
truth  herein?  If  you  stand  to  your  own  judgment,  then  are 
you  singular  in  your  own  conceit ;  then  can  you  not  avoid 
the  '  vrc1  and  '  woe1  which  the  prophet  speaketh  of.  Where 
fore  if  you  have  no  stay  but  the  catholic  church  in  matters 
of  controversy,  except  you  will  rest  upon  the  singularity  and 
wisdom  of  your  own  brain,  if  the  prophet  most  truly  saith, 
'  Vae,  vse,1  '  Woe,  woe  be  to  them  that  are  wise  in  their 
own  conceit;1  then,  for  God's  love,  Master  Eidley,  stand 
not  singular;  be  not  you  wise  in  your  own  conceit;  please 
not  yourself  over  much.  How  were  the  Arians,  the  Mani- 
chees,  Eutychians,  with  other  divers  heretics  which  have 
been  in  the  church, — how,  I  pray  you,  were  they  suppressed 
and  convinced?  By  reasoning  and  disputations?  No,  truly, 
the  Arians  had  no  more  places  of  Scripture  for  the  con- 


284  LAST    EXAMINATION 

firmation  of  their  heresy,  than  the  catholics  for  the  defence 
of  the  truth.  How  then  were  they  convinced?  Only  by  the 
determination  of  the  church.  And  indeed,  except  we  do 
constitute  the  church  our  foundation,  stay,  and  judge,  we 
can  have  no  end  of  controversies,  no  end  of  disputations. 
For  in  that  we  all  bring  Scriptures  and  doctors  for  the 
probation  of  our  assertions,  who  should  be  judge  of  this  our 
controversy?  If  we  ourselves,  then,  be  singular  and  wise 
in  our  own  conceits,  then  cannot  we  avoid  the  woe  that 
the  prophet  speaketh  of. 

"It  remaineth  therefore  that  we  submit  ourselves  to  the 
The  deter-    determination  and   arbitrament   of  the   church;    with  whom 

mination  of  . 

the  church    Grod  promised  to  remain  to  the  worlds  end;    to  whom  he 

is  only  that,  * 

whereupon  promised  to  send  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  should  teach  it  the 

our  catholic  x  .... 

"round  their  *ru^'     Wherefore,  Master  Ridley,  if  you  will  avoid  the  woe 
fcith.          that  the  prophet  speaketh  of,  be  not  you  wise  in  your  judg 
ment  :  if  you  will  not  be  wise  and  singular  in  your  own  judg 
ment,  captivate  your  own  understanding,  subdue  your  reason, 
and  submit  yourself  to  the  determination  of  the  church.11 

This  is  briefly  the  sum  of  the  oration  of  the  bishop  of 
Gloucester,  by  the  which  he  endeavoured  in  many  more  words, 
amplifying  and  enlarging  the  matter  eloquently  with  sundry 
points  of  rhetoric  to  move  affections,  to  persuade  Master 
Ridley  to  recant  and  forsake  his  religion. 

A  brief  To  whom  Master  Ridley  answered  in  few  words,  that  he 

Ridley  to  said  most  truly  with  the  prophet,  "Woe  be  to  him  that  is 
Brooks's  wise  in  his  own  conceit ;"  but  that  he  acknowledged  no  such 
singularity  in  himself,  nor  knew  any  cause  why  he  should 
attribute  so  much  to  himself.  And  whereas  he,  the  bishop 
of  Gloucester,  said  Master  Cranmer  leaned  to  him,  that  was 
most  untrue,  in  that  he  was  but  a  young  scholar  in  comparison 
of  Master  Cranmer;  for  at  what  time  he  was  a  young- 
scholar,  then  was  Master  Cranmer  a  doctor ;  so  that  he  con 
fessed  that  Master  Cranmer  might  have  been  his  schoolmaster 
these  many  years.  It  seemed  that  he  would  have  spoken 
more,  but  the  bishop  of  Gloucester  interrupted  him,  saying : — 

Gloucester : — "  Why,  Master  Ridley,  it  is  your  own  con 
fession  ;  for  Master  Latimer,  at  the  time  of  his  disputation, 


BEFORE    THE    COMMISSIONERS.  285 

confessed  his  learning  to  lie  in  Master  Cranmer's  books,  and 
Master  Cranmer  also  said,  that  it  was  your  doing." 

Likewise  the  bishop  of  Lincoln,  with  many  words,  and 
gently  holding  his  cap  in  his  hand,  desired  him  to  turn.  But 
Master  Ridley  made  an  absolute  answer,  that  he  was  fully 
persuaded  the  religion  which  he  defended  to  be  grounded 
upon  God's  word;  and  therefore,  without  great  offence  to 
wards  God,  great  peril  and  damage  of  his  soul,  he  could  not 
forsake  his  master  and  Lord  God,  but  desired  the  bishop  to 
perform  his  grant,  in  that  his  lordship  said  the  day  before, 
that  he  should  have  license  to  shew  his  cause  why  he  could 
not  with  a  safe  conscience  admit  the  authority  of  the  pope. 
But  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  said,  that  whereas  then  he  had 
demanded  license  to  speak  three  words,  he  was  contented 
then  that  he  should  speak  forty,  and  that  grant  he  would 
perform. 

Then  stepped  forth  Dr  Weston,  who  sat  by,  and  said, 
"Why,    my   lord,    he    hath    spoken   four   hundred   already." bolt- 
Master  Ridley  confessed  he  had,  but  they  were  not  of  his 
prescribed  number,  neither  of  that  matter.     The  bishop 
Lincoln  bade  him  take  his  license ;  but  he  should  speak  but  more  but 

1  forty  words 

forty,  and  he  would  tell  them  upon  his  fingers.     And  eftsoons  to  sPeak- 
Master  Ridley  began  to  speak :  but  before  he  had  ended  half  JJote^  the 
a  sentence,  the  doctors  sitting  by  cried  and  said,  that  his  gSgJ*6^ 
number  was  out;    and  with  that  he  was  put  to  silence.         therapists. 

After  this  the  bishop  of  Lincoln,  who  sat  in  the  midst, 
began  to  speak  as  followeth: 

Lincoln : — "  Now  I  perceive,  Master  Ridley,  you  will  not 
permit  nor  suffer  us  to  stay  in  that  point  of  our  commission 
which  we  most  desired :  for  I  assure  you,  there  is  never  a 
word  in  our  commission  more  true  than  '  dolentes  et  ge- 
mentes:'  for  indeed  I  for  my  part  (I  take  God  to  witness) 
am  sorry  for  you." 

Whereunto  Master  Ridley  answered,  "  I  believe  it  well, 
my  lord,  forasmuch  as  one  day  it  will  be  burdenous  to  your 
soul." 

Lincoln:— "Nay,  not  so,  Master  Ridley,  but  because  I 
am  sorry  to  see  such  stubbornness  in  you,  that  by  no  means 
you  may  be  persuaded  to  acknowledge  your  errors,  and  receive 


286  DEGRADATION. 

the  truth.  But,  seeing  it  is  so,  because  you  will  not  suffer 
us  to  persist  in  the  first,  we  must  of  necessity  proceed  to 
the  other  part  of  our  commission.  Therefore  I  pray  you, 
hearken  what  I  shall  say." 

And  forthwith  he  did  read  the  sentence  of  condemnation, 
which  was  written  in  a  long  process :  the  tenor  of  which, 
because  it  is  sufficiently  already  expressed  before1,  we  thought 
meet  in  this  place  to  omit,  forasmuch  as  they  are  rather 
words  of  course,  than  things  devised  upon  deliberation.  How- 
beit  indeed  the  effect  was  as  this: 

"  That  forasmuch  as  the  said  Nicholas  Ridley  did  affirm, 
maintain,  and  stubbornly  defend  certain  opinions,  assertions, 
and  heresies,  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  and  the  received 
faith  of  the  church,  as  in  denying  the  true  and  natural  body 
of  Christ,  and  his  natural  blood  to  be  in  the  sacrament  of 
the  altar;  Secondarily,  in  affirming  the  substance  of  bread 
and  wine  to  remain  after  the  words  of  the  consecration; 
Thirdly,  in  denying  the  mass  to  be  a  lively  sacrifice  of  the 
church  for  the  quick  and  the  dead ;  and  by  no  means  would 
be  induced  and  brought  from  these  his  heresies :  they  there 
fore  (the  said  John  of  Lincoln,  James  of  Gloucester,  John 
of  Bristol,)  did  judge  and  condemn  the  said  Nicholas  Ridley 
as  a  heretic,  and  so  adjudged  him  presently,  both  by  word 
and  also  in  deed,  to  be  degraded  from  the  degree  of  a  bishop, 
from  priesthood,  and  all  ecclesiastical  orders ;  declaring  more 
over  the  said  Nicholas  Ridley  to  be  no  member  of  the  church : 
and  therefore  committed  him  to  the  secular  powers,  of  them 
to  receive  due  punishment  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  tem 
poral  laws;  and  further  excommunicating  him  by  the  great 
excommunication." 

A  Communication  between  DR  BROOKS,  and  DR  RIDLEY,  in, 
tlie  house  of  MASTER  IRISH,  the  \§tli  day  of  October, 
at  which  time  he  was  degraded. 

In  the  mean  season  upon  the  15th  day  in  the  morning 
and  the  same  year  abovesaid,  Dr  Brooks,  the  bishop  of 
Gloucester,  and  the  vice-chancellor  of  Oxford,  Dr  Marshal, 
with  divers  other  of  the  chief  and  heads  of  the  same  uni- 

P  Fox  refers  to  the  degradation  of  Hooper  previously  related.    ED.]] 


DEGRADATION. 


287 


versity,  and  many  others  accompanying  them,  came  unto 
Master  Irishes  house,  then  mayor  of  Oxford,  where  Dr  Bid- 
ley,  late  bishop  of  London,  was  close  prisoner.  And  when 
the  bishop  of  Gloucester  came  into  the  chamber  where  the 
said  Dr  Ridley  did  lie,  he  told  him  for  what  purpose  their 
coming  was  unto  him,  saying,  that  yet  once  again  the  queen's 
majesty  did  offer  unto  him,  by  them,  her  gracious  mercy,  if 
that  he  would  receive  the  same,  and  come  home  again  to  j 
the  faith  which  he  was  baptized  in,  and  revoke  his  erroneous  ojit  consent- 
doctrine  that  he  of  late  had  taught  abroad  to  the  destruc- 
tion  of  many.  And  further  said,  that  if  he  would  not  recant 
and  become  one  of  the  catholic  church  with  them,  then  they 
must  needs,  against  their  wills,  proceed  according  to  the 
law,  which  they  would  be  very  loth  to  do,  if  they  might 
otherwise. 

"  But,"  saith  he,  "  we  have  been  oftentimes  with  you,  and 
have  requested  that  you  would  recant  this  your  fantastical 
and  devilish  opinion,  which  hitherto  you  have  not,  although 
you  might  in  so  doing  win  many,  and  do  much  good.  There 
fore,  good  Master  Ridley,  consider  with  yourself  the  danger 
that  shall  ensue,  both  of  body  and  soul,  if  that  you  shall  so 
wilfully  cast  yourself  away  in  refusing  mercy  offered  unto 
you  at  this  time." 

"  My  lord,"  quoth  Dr  Ridley,  "  you  know  my  mind  fully 
herein ;  and  as  for  the  doctrine  which  I  have  taught,  my 
conscience  assureth  me  that  it  was  sound,  and  according  to 
God's  word  (to  his  glory  be  it  spoken)  ;  the  which  doctrine, church- 
the  Lord  God  being  my  helper,  I  will  maintain  so  long  as 
my  tongue  shall  wag,  and  breath  is  within  my  body,  and  in 
confirmation  thereof  seal  the  same  with  my  blood." 

Gloucester : — "  Well,  you  were  best,  Master  Ridley,  not 
to  do  so,  but  to  become  one  of  the  church  with  us :  for  you 
know  this  well  enough,  that  whosoever  is  out  of  the  catholic 
church,  cannot  be  saved.  Therefore  I  say  once  again,  that 
while  you  have  time  and  mercy  offered  you,  receive  it,  and 
confess  with  us  the  pope's  holiness  to  be  the  chief  head  of  with  that 

,  i  i          i    it  their  caps 

the  same  church.  went  otr; but 

Eidley : — "  I  marvel  that  you  will  trouble  me  with  any  held  on  his 
such  vain  and  foolish  talk.     You  know  my  mind  concerning  °a 


288 


DEGRADATION. 


the  usurped  authority  of  that  Romish  antichrist.  As  I  con 
fessed  openly  in  the  schools,  so  do  I  now,  that  both  by  my 
behaviour  and  talk  I  do  no  obedience  at  all  unto  the  bishop 
of  Eome,  nor  to  his  usurped  authority,  and  that  for  divers 
good  and  godly  considerations." 


^iere  ^r  ^ley  would  have  reasoned  with  the  said 
r-  Brooks,  bishop  of  Gloucester,  of  the  bishop  of  Rome's  au- 
couidbnot  be  ^hority,  but  could  not  be  suffered  ;  and  yet  he  spake  so 
convinced,  earnestly  against  the  pope  therein,  that  the  bishop  told  him, 
if  he  would  not  hold  his  peace,  he  should  be  compelled 
against  his  will.  "And  seeing,"  saith  he,  "that  you  will 
not  receive  the  queen's  mercy  now  offered  unto  you,  but 
stubbornly  refuse  the  same,  we  must,  against  our  wills,  pro 
ceed  according  to  our  commission  to  degrading,  taking  from 
you  the  dignity  of  priesthood.  For  we  take  you  for  no 
bishop,  and  therefore  we  will  the  sooner  have  done  with 
you.  So,  committing  you  to  the  secular  power,  you  know 
what  doth  follow." 

Ridley:  —  "Do  with  me  as  it  shall  please  God  to  suffer 
you;  I  am  well  content  to  abide  the  same  with  all  my 
heart." 

Gloucester  :  —  "  Put  off  your  cap,  Master  Ridley,  and  put 
upon  you  this  surplice." 
tT  Ridley  :-«  Not  I,  truly." 

Gloucester  :—  "  But  you  must." 

Eidley  :—  "  I  will  not." 

Gloucester  :  —  "  You  must  therefore  make  no  more  ado, 
but  put  this  surplice  upon  you." 

Eidley:  —  "Truly,  if  it  come  upon  me,  it  shall  be  against 
my  will." 

Gloucester  :  —  "  Will  you  not  do  it  upon  you  ?" 

Ridley:—  "No,  that  I  will  not." 

Gloucester:  —  "It  shall  be  put  upon  you  by  one  or  other." 

Eidley:  —  "Do  therein  as  it  shall  please  you;  I  am  well 
contented  with  that,  and  more  than  that;  'the  servant  is 
not  above  his  master.1  If  they  dealt  so  cruelly  with  our 
Saviour  Christ,  as  the  Scripture  maketh  mention,  and  he 
suffered  the  same  patiently,  how  much  more  doth  it  become 
us  his  servants  !" 


DEGRADATION.  289 


And  in  saying  of  these  words,  they  put  upon  the 
Dr  Ridley  the  surplice,  with  all  the  trinkets  appertaining  to 
the  mass.  And  as  they  were  putting  on  the  same,  Dr  Eidley  {^ 
did  vehemently  inveigh  against  the  Romish  bishop  and  all  aw>areL 
that  foolish  apparel,  calling  him  antichrist,  and  the  apparel 
foolish  and  abominable,  yea,  too  fond  for  a  vice  in  a  play; 
insomuch  that  bishop  Brooks  was  exceeding  angry  with 
him,  and  bade  him  hold  his  peace,  for  he  did  but  rail.  Dr 
Ridley  answered  him  again,  and  said,  so  long  as  his  tongue 
and  breath  would  suffer  him,  he  would  speak  against  their 
abominable  doings,  whatsoever  happened  unto  him  for  so 
doing. 

Gloucester  :  —  "  Well,  you  were  best  to  hold  your  peace, 
lest  your  mouth  be  stopped." 

At  which   words   one   Edridge,  the  reader  then  of  the  SJjJegjv. 
Greek  lecture,  standing  by,  said  to  Dr  Brooks;    "Sir,  the  jgJtcgSEyp 
law  is,  he  should  be  gagged  ;  therefore  let  him  be  gagged." 
At  which  words  Dr  Ridley,  looking  earnestly  upon  him  that 
so  said,   wagged  his   head   at   him,   and   made   no   answer 
again,  but  with  a  sigh  said,    "Oh  well,   well,   well!"      So 
they  proceeded  in  their  doings;    yet  nevertheless  Dr  Ridley 
was  ever  talking  things  not  pleasant  to  their  ears,  although 
one  or  other  bade  him  hold  his  peace,  lest  he  should  be 
caused  against  his  will. 

When  they  came  to  that  place  where  Dr  Ridley  should 
hold  the  chalice  and  the  wafer-cake,  called  the  singing-bread, 
they  bade  him  hold  the  same  in  his  hands.  And  Dr  Ridley  Ridl,e>'  ( 

*    would  not 


said,    "They  shall  not   come  in  my  hands;    for  if  they 
they  shall  fall  to  the  ground  for  all  me."     Then  there  was 
one  appointed  to  hold  them  in  his  hand,  while  bishop  Brooks 
read  a  certain  thing  in  Latin,  touching  the  degradation  of 
spiritual  persons  according  to  the  pope's  law. 

Afterward  they  put  a  book  in  his  hand,  and  withal  read  ^J«i  fro 
(as  is  before  said)  a  certain  thing  in  Latin,  the  effect  whereof  Preachins- 
was  :    "  We   do  take  from  you  the  office  of  preaching  the 
gospel,"  &c.     At  which  words  Dr  Ridley  gave  a  great  sigh, 
looking  up  towards  heaven,  saying,   "O   Lord  God,  forgive 
them  this   their  wickedness!"     And  as  they  put  upon  him 
the  mass  gear,  so  they  began  with  the  uppermost  garment, 

19 
[RIDLEY.] 


2.90  DEGEADATION. 

in  taking  it  away  again  reading  a  thing  in  Latin,  according 
to  the  order  contained  in  the  said  book  of  the  pope's  law. 
Now  when  all  was  taken  from  him,  saving  only  the  surplice 
left  on  his  back,  as  they  were  reading  and  taking  it  away, 
Dr  Eidley  said  unto  them,  "  Lord  God,  what  power  be  you 
of,  that  you  can  take  from  a  man  that  which  he  never  had ! 
I  was  never  singer  in  all  my  life,  and  yet  you  will  take  from 
me  that  which  I  never  had." 

So  when  all  this  their  abominable  and  ridiculous  degra- 
dation  was  ended  very  solemnly,  Dr   Eidley   said   unto   Dr 
Sapfshth    Brooks,  "Have  you  done?     If  you  have  done,  then  give  me 
toys-          leave   to   talk  with   you  a  little  concerning  these   matters." 
Brooks   answered  and  said,    "  Master   Ridley,   we   may  not 
talk  with  you;    you  be  out  of  the  church,  and  our  law  is, 
that  we  may  not  talk  with  any  that  be  out  of  the  church." 
Then  Master  Eidley  said,  "  Seeing  that  you  will  not  suffer 
me  to  talk,  neither  will  vouchsafe  to  hear  me,  what  remedy 
but  patience?     I  refer  my  cause  to  my  heavenly  Father,  who 
will  reform  things  that  be  amiss,  when  it  shall  please  him." 
At  which  words  they  would  have  been  gone,  but  Master  Eid- 
Be?tram'sf   %  sa^>   "  ^7  ^°1'^  *  would  wish  that  your  lordship  would 
the  IS    vouchsafe  to  read  over  and  peruse  a  little  book  of  Bertram's 
ment<         doings,  concerning  the  sacrament.     I  promise  you,  you  shall 
find  much  good  learning  therein,  if  you  will  read  the  same 
with  an  indifferent  judgment."     Dr  Brooks  made  no  answer 
to   this,   but  would   have   been   gone   away.     Then    Master 
Eidley  said, 

"  Oh,  I  perceive  that  you  cannot  away  with  this  manner 

of  talk.     Well !  it  boots  not,  I  will  say  no  more,  I  will  speak 

of  worldly  affairs.     I  pray  you  therefore,  my  lord,  hear  me, 

and  be  a  mean  to  the  queen's  majesty  in  the  behalf  of  a  great 

many  of  poor  men,  and  especially  for  my  poor  sister   and 

charityof    ner  husband  which  standeth  there.     They  had  a  poor  living 

papists.       granted  unto  them  by  me,  whiles  I  was  in  the  see  of  London, 

™SdbJcto°rP  an(*  tne  same  ig  taken  away  from  them  by  him  that  now  occu- 

pieth  the  same  room,  without  all  law  or  conscience.     Here  I 

have  a  supplication  to  the  queen's  majesty  in  their  behalf's. 

You  shall  hear   the  same  read,  so  shall  you  perceive  the 

matter  the  better." 


DEGRADATION.  291 

Then  he  read  the  same1;  and.  when  he  came  to  the  place  Ridley's  sis- 

ter  put  from 

m  the  supplication,  that  touched  his  sister  by  name,  then  he  jgj™*  bv 
wept,  so  that  for  a  little  space  he  could  not  speak  for  weep 
ing*.  After  that  he  had  left  off  weeping,  he  said,  "  This  is 
nature  that  moveth  me,  but  I  have  now  done."  And  with 
that  he  read  out  the  rest,  and  delivered  the  same  to  his  brother, 
commanding  him  to  put  it  up  to  the  queen's  majesty,  and 
to  sue,  not  only  for  himself,  but  also  for  such  as  had  any 
leases  or  grants  by  him,  and  were  put  from  the  same  by  Dr 
Bonner,  then  bishop  of  London.  Whereunto  Brooks  said, 
';  Indeed,  Master  Ridley,  your  request  in  this  supplication  is 
veiy  lawful  and  honest :  therefore  I  must  needs  in  conscience 
speak  to  the  queen's  majesty  for  them." 

Ridley : — "  I  pray  you,  for  God's  sake,  do  so." 

Gloucester: — "  I  think  your  request  will  be  granted,  except 
one  thing  let  it ;  and  that  is,  I  fear,  because  you  do  not  allow 
the  queen's  proceedings,  but  obstinately  withstand  the  same, 
that  it  will  hardly  be  granted." 

Ridley: — "What  remedy?  I  can  do  no  more  but  speak 
and  write.  I  trust  I  have  discharged  my  conscience  herein ; 
and  God's  will  be  done." 

Gloucester: — "I  will  do  what  lieth  in  me." 

This  degradation  being  past,  and  all  things  finished,  Dr 
Brooks  called  the  bailiffs,  delivering  to  them  Master  Ridley 
with  this  charge,  to  keep  him  safely  from  any  man  speaking 
with  him,  and  that  he  should  be  brought  to  the  place  of 
execution  when  they  were  commanded.  Then  Master  Ridley 
in  praising  God  burst  out  with  these  words,  and  said,  u  God,  Ridley 

T    , ,        i      r,  ,  .  could  not 

L  thank  tnee,  and  to  thy  praise  be  it  spoken,  there  is  none  with  any 

f  11      i  i  i  •          notorious 

oi  you  all  able  to  lay  to  my  charge  any  open  or  notorious  crime  be 
crime ;   for  if  you  could,  it  should  surely  be  laid  in  my  lap,  ° 
I   see   very  well."     Whereunto   Brooks  said,  he  played  the 
part  of  a  proud  Pharisee,  exalting  and  praising  himself.     But 
Master  Ridley  said,  "No,  no,  no,  as  I  have  said  before,  to 
•God's  glory  be  it  spoken.     I  confess  myself  to  be  a  misera 
ble  wretched  sinner,  and  have  great  need  of  God's  help  and 
mercy,  and  do  daily  call  and  ciy  for  the  same:  therefore,  I 
pray  you,  have  no  such  opinion  of  me."     Then  they  departed, 

[x  This  supplication  will  be  found  among  the  letters.    ED.] 

19—2 


292 


BEHAVIOUR    AT    HIS    LAST    SUPPER. 


and  in  going  away  a  certain  warden  of  a  college,  of  whose 
name  I  am  not  very  sure1,  bade  Dr  Ridley  repent  him,  and 
forsake  that  erroneous  opinion.  Whereunto  Master  Eidley 
said,  "Sir,  repent  you,  for  you  are  out  of  the  truth.  And 
I  pray  God  (if  it  be  his  blessed  will)  have  mercy  upon  you, 
and  grant  you  the  understanding  of  his  word."  Then  the 
warden,  being  in  a  chafe  thereat,  said,  "  I  trust  that  I  shall 
never  be  of  your  erroneous  and  devilish  opinion,  neither  yet 
to  be  in  that  place  whither  you  shall  go.  He  is,"  saith  he, 
"the  most  obstinate  and  wilful  man  that  ever  I  heard  talk 
since  I  was  born." 


i>r  Ridley, 


The  lehamour  of  DR  EIDLEY  at  Ms  Supper,  the  night  before 
his  suffering. 

The  night  before  he  suffered,  his  beard  was  washed  and 
his  legs  ;  and  as  he  sat  at  supper  the  same  night  at  Master 
Irish's  (who  was  his  keeper),  he  bade  his  hostess,  and  the 
rest  at  the  board,  to  his  marriage;  "for,"  said  he,  "to-mor 
row  I  must  be  married  :"  and  so  shewed  himself  to  be  as 
al£reartish'  merry  as  ever  he  was  at  any  time  before.  And  wishing  his 
Sre,sweep-  sister  at  his  marriage,  he  asked  his  brother  sitting  at  the 
table,  whether  she  could  find  in  her  heart  to  be  there  or  no. 
And  he  answered,  "  Yea,  I  dare  say,  with  all  her  heart  :" 
at  which  word  he  said,  he  was  glad  to  hear  of  her  so  much 
therein.  So  at  this  talk  Mistress  Irish  wept. 

But  Master  Ridley  comforted  her,  and  said,  "  0  Mrs 
Irish,  you  love  me  not  now,  I  see  well  enough  ;  for  in  that 
you  weep,  it  doth  appear  you  will  not  be  at  my  marriage, 
neither  are  content  therewith.  Indeed  you  be  not  so  much 
my  friend,  as  I  thought  you  had  been.  But  quiet  yourself: 
though  my  breakfast  shall  be  somewhat  sharp  and  painful, 

Q1  Fox,  in  his  first  edition,  has  a  note,  "  this  was  one  Master  Warner, 
as  I  remember."  This  note,  in  subsequent  editions,  was  expunged,  arid 
it  would  appear  with  reason  ;  for  the  Dr  Warner  in  question  was  pro 
bably  the  warden  of  All  Souls.  (See  Wood's  Fasti,  in  his  Athente 
Oxonienses.)  Dr  Warner  was  warden  before  the  reign  of  Mary,  and 
afterwards  ;  for  he  was  a  Protestant,  and  was  on  that  ground  deprived 
of  his  office  during  the  reign  of  Mary.  It  is  therefore  hardly  likely 
that  such  a  man  would  have  used  the  words  here  attributed  to  him. 
ED.] 


MARTYRDOM.  293 

yet  I  am  sure  my  supper  shall  be  more  pleasant  and  sweet," 
&e. 

When  they  arose  from  the  table,  his  brother  offered  him  Ridley  with 

*  out  care  at 

to  watch  all  night  with  him.     But  he  said,  "  No,  no,  that  MS  death. 
you  shall  not.     For  I  mind  (God  willing)  to  go  to  bed,  and 
to  sleep  as  quietly  to-night,  as  ever  I  did  in  my  life."     So 
his  brother  departed,  exhorting  him  to  be  of  good  cheer,  and 
to  take  his  cross  quietly,  for  the  reward  was  great,  &c. 

The  behaviour  of  DR  RIDLEY  and  MASTER  LATIXER,  at 
the  time  of  their  death,  whch  was  the  16th  of  October, 
1555. 

Upon  the  north  side  of  the  town,  in  the  ditch  over  against 
Balliol  college,  the  place  of  execution  was  appointed ;  and  for 
fear  of  any  tumult  that  might  arise,  to  leta  the  burning  of*hinder- 
them,  the  lord  Williams  was  commanded,  by  the  queen's 
letters,  and  the  householders  of  the  city,  to  be  there  assistant, 
sufficiently  appointed.  And  when  every  thing  was  in  a  readi 
ness,  the  prisoners  were  brought  forth  by  the  mayor  and 
the  bailiffs. 

Master  Ridley  had  a  fair  black  gown  furred,  and  faced 
with  foins,  such  as  he  was  wont  to  wear  being  bishop,  and 
a  tippet  of  velvet  furred "  likewise  about  his  neck,  a  velvet 
night-cap  upon  his  head,  and  a  corner  cap  upon  the  same, 
going  in  a  pair  of  slippers  to  the  stake,  and  going  between 
the  mayor  and  an  alderman,  &c. 

After  him  came  Master  Latimer  in  a  poor  Bristol  frieze 
frock  all  worn,  with  his  buttoned  cap,  and  a  kerchief  on  his 
head,  all  ready  to  the  fire,  a  new  long  shroud  hanging  over 
his  hose  down  to  the  feet :  which  at  the  first  sight  stirred 
men's  hearts  to  rue  upon  them,  beholding  on  the  one  side 
the  honour  they  sometime  had,  and  on  the  other  the  calamity 
whereunto  they  were  fallen. 

Master  doctor  Ridley,  as  he  passed  toward  Bocardo,  looked 
up  where  Master  Cranmer  did  lie,  hoping  belike  to  have  seen 
him  at  the  glass  window,  and  to  have  spoken  unto  him.  But stake' 
then  Master  Cranmer  was  busy  with  friar  Soto  and  his  fellows, 
disputing  together,  so  that  he  could  not  see  him,  through  that 
[2  "  With  a  tippet  of  sables."  Edit,  1563.  ED.] 


294  MARTYRDOM. 

occasion.     Then  Master  Ridley,  looking  back,  espied  Master 

Latimer  coming  after,  unto  whom  he  said,  "  Oh,  be  ye  there  V 

Behaviour    «  Yea,"  said  Master  Latimer,  "  have  after  as  fast  as  I  can 

of  Ridley 


f0uow>"  go  he  following  a  pretty  way  off,  at  length  they 
came  both  to  the  stake,  the  one  after  the  other;  where  first 
Dr  Eidley  entering  the  place,  marvellous  earnestly  holding 
up  both  his  hands,  looked  towards  heaven.  Then  shortly 
after  espying  Master  Latimer,  with  a  wondrous  cheerful  look 
he  ran  to  him,  embraced  and  kissed  him  ;  and,  as  they  that 
stood  near  reported,  comforted  him,  saying,  "  Be  of  good 
heart,  brother,  for  God  will  either  assuage  the  fury  of  the 
flame,  or  else  strengthen  us  to  abide  it." 

With  that  went  he  to  the  stake,  kneeled  down  by  it, 
kissed  it,  and  effectually  prayed  ;  and  behind  him  Master  Lati 
mer  kneeled,  as  earnestly  calling  upon  God  as  he.  After 
they  arose,  the  one  talked  with  the  other  a  little  while,  till 
they  which  were  appointed  to  see  the  execution,  removed 
themselves  out  of  the  sun.  What  they  said  I  can  learn  of 
no  man. 
Dr  smith  Then  Dr  Smith,  of  whose  recantation  in  king  Edward's 

preaching  at 

the  burning  time  ve  heard  before,  began  his  sermon  to  them  upon  this 

of  Ridley 

and  Lati-  text  of  St  Paul,  "  If  I  yield  my  body  to  the  fire  to  be  burnt, 
and  have  not  charity,  I  shall  gain  nothing  thereby1."  Wherein 
he  alleged  that  the  goodness  of  the  cause,  and  not  the  order 
of  death,  maketh  the  holiness  of  the  person  ;  which  he  con 
firmed  by  the  examples  of  Judas,  and  of  a  woman  in  Oxford 
that  of  late  hanged  herself,  for  that  they,  and  such  like  as  he 
recited,  might  then  be  adjudged  righteous,  which  desperately 
sundered  their  lives  from  their  bodies,  as  he  feared  that  those 

Dr  smith     men  that  stood  before  him  would  do.     But  he  cried  still  to  the 

raileth 

S5rtvrsthe  Pe°P^e  t°  beware  of  them,  for  they  were  heretics,  and  died  out 
of  the  church.  And  on  the  other  side,  he  declared  their  diver 
sity  in  opinions,  as  Lutherans,  GEcolampadians,  Zuinglians. 
of  which  sect  they  were,  he  said,  and  that  was  the  worst  : 
kut  the  old  church  of  Christ  and  the  catholic  faith  believed 
^ar  otherwise.  At  which  place  they  lifted  up  both  their  hands 
an(^  e7es  to  heaven,  as  it  were  calling  God  to  witness  of  the 
truth  :  the  which  countenance  they  made  in  many  other  places 

1  "Si  corpus  meum  tradam  igni,  charitatem  autem  non  habeam,, 
nihil  inde  utilitatis  capio."    1  Cor.  xiii. 


MARTYRDOM.  295 

of  his  sermon,  where  they  thought  he  spake  amiss.  He  ended 
with  a  very  short  exhortation  to  them  to  recant,  and  come 
home  again  to  the  church,  and  save  their  lives  and  souls, 
which  else  were  condemned.  His  sermon  was  scant ;  in  all, 
a  quarter  of  an  hour. 

Dr  Ridley  said  to  Master  Latimer,  "  Will  you  begin  to 
answer  the  sermon,  or  shall  IV  Master  Latimer  said, 
"  Begin  you  first,  I  pray  you."  "  I  will,"  said  Master 
Eidley. 

Then,  the  wicked  sermon   being  ended,   Dr   Eidley  and 
Master  Latimer  kneeled  down  upon  their  knees  towards  my 
lord  Williams  of  Thame,  the  vice-chancellor  of  Oxford,  and 
divers  other  commissioners  appointed  for  that  purpose,  who 
sat  upon  a  form  thereby ;   unto  whom   Master  Ridley  said, 
"  I   beseech   you,   my  lord,   even   for   Christ's   sake,   that   I  Ridley  ready 
may  speak  but  two  or  three  words."     And  whilst  my  lord  smith's  ser- 
bent   his   head   to   the   mayor   and   vice-chancellor,   to  know7  not  suffered. 
(as  it  appeared)  whether  he  might  give  him  leave  to  speak, 
the  bailiffs  and  Dr  Marshall,  vice-chancellor,  ran  hastily  unto  Marshall, 
him,   and   with   their   hands    stopped   his   mouth,   and   said,  ceiior  of 
"Master  Ridley,  if  you  will  revoke  your  erroneous  opinions,  stpppeth 
and  recant  the  same,  you  shall  not  only  have  liberty  so  to 
do,   but  also   the   benefit   of  a  subject ;   that  is,  have  your 
life."     "Not  otherwise V  said  Master  Ridley,    "No,"  quoth 
Dr  Marshall.     "  Therefore  if  you  will  not  so  do,  then  there 
is  no  remedy  but  you  must  suffer  for  your  deserts."    "  Well," 
quoth   Master   Ridley,    "so  long   as   the    breath    is    in    my 
body,   I  will  never   deny  my  Lord   Christ,   and    his   known 
truth :  God's  will  be  done  in  me  ! "    And  with  that  he  rose 
up,  and  said  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Well  then,  I  commit  our  Ridley  corn- 
cause    to    Almighty    God,    which    shall    indifferently    judge  cause  to 
all."     To  whose  saying  Master  Latimer  added  his  old  posy, 
"  Well !  there  is  nothing  hid  but  it  shall  be  opened."    And  ^ord"  when 
he  said,  he  could  answer  Smith  well  enough,  if  he   might 
be  suffered. 

Incontinently  they  were  commanded  to  make  them  ready, 
which  they  with  all  meekness  obeyed.  Master  Ridley  took 
his  gown  and  his  tippet,  and  gave  it  to  his  brother-in-law 
Master  Shipside,  who  all  his  time  of  imprisonment,  although 
he  might  not  be  suffered  to  come  to  him,  lay  there  at  his 


29  6  MARTYRDOM. 

own  charges  to  provide  him  necessaries,  which,  from  time 
to  time,  he  sent  him  by  the  serjeant  that  kept  him.  Some 
other  of  his  apparel  that  was  little  worth,  he  gave  away; 
other  the  bailiffs  took. 

^e  £ave  away  Besides  divers  other  small  things  to  gen- 
^emen  standing  by,  and  divers  of  them  pitifully  weeping,  as 
the  people,  to  Sir  Henry  Lea  he  gave  a  new  groat;  and  to  divers  of 
my  lord  Williams''  gentlemen  some  napkins,  some  nutmegs, 
and  rases1  of  ginger;  his  dial,  and  such  other  things  as  he 
had  about  him,  to  every  one  that  stood  next  him.  Some 
plucked  the  points  off  his  hose.  Happy  was  he  that  might 
get  any  rag  of  him. 

Latimerat  Master  Latimer  gave  nothing,  but  very  quietly  suffered 
his  shirt,  his  keeper  to  pull  off  his  hose  and  his  other  array,  which 
to  look  unto  was  very  simple  :  and  being  stripped  unto  his 
shroud,  he  seemed  as  comely  a  person  to  them  that  were 
there  present,  as  one  should  lightly2  see;  and  whereas  in  his 
clothes  he  appeared  a  withered  and  crooked  silly  old  man, 
he  now  stood  bolt  upright,  as  comely  a  father  as  one  might 
lightly  behold. 

Then  Master  Eidley,  standing  as  yet  in  his  truss,  said 

to   his  brother,   "  It  were  best  for  me  to  go  in  my  truss 

still."    "No,"  quoth  his  brother,  "it  will  put  you  to  more 

pain  ;  and  the  truss  will  do  a  poor  man  good."     Whereunto 

Master  Ridley  said,  "Be  it,  in  the  name  of  God;"  and  so 

unlaced  himself.     Then,  being  in  his  shirt,  he  stood  upon 

the   foresaid   stone,    and   held  up   his   hand   and   said,    "O 

Ridley        heavenly  Father,  I  will  give  unto  thee  most  hearty  thanks,  for 

God1  for  his  that  thou  hast   called  me   to  be  a  professor  of  thee,  even 


unto  death.  I  beseech  thee,  Lord  God,  take  mercy  upon 
this  realm  of  England,  and  deliver  the  same  from  all  her 
enemies." 

Then  the  smith  took  a  chain  of  iron,  and  brought  the 
same  about  both  Dr  Ridley's,  and  Master  Latimer's  middle  : 
and  as  he  was  knocking  in  a  staple,  Dr  Ridley  took  the 
chain  in  his  hand,  and  shaked  the  same,  for  it  did  gird  in 
his  belly,  and  looking  aside  to  the  smith,  said,  "  Good  fel 
low,  knock  it  in  hard,  for  the  flesh  will  have  his  course." 

[x  Pieces,  or  roots.    ED.] 

Q2  Lightly—  easily  or  commonly.    ED.] 


MARTYRDOM. 


297 


Then  his  brother  did  bring  him  gunpowder  in  a  bag,  and 
would  have  tied  the  same  about  his  neck.  Master  Eidley  martyrs 
asked  what  it  was.  His  brother  said,  "  Gunpowder."  "  Then," 
said  he,  "I  will  take  it  to  be  sent  of  God  ;  therefore  I 
will  receive  it  as  sent  of  him.  And  have  you  any,"  said 
he,  ufor  my  brother?"  meaning  Master  Latimer.  "  Yea, 
sir,  that  I  have,"  quoth  his  brother.  "Then  give  it  unto 
him,"  said  he,  "betime;  lest  ye  come  too  late."  So  his 
brother  went,  and  carried  of  the  same  gunpowder  unto 
Master  Latimer. 

In  the  mean  time  Dr  Ridley  spake  unto  my  lord  Wil- 
liams,  and  said,  "My  lord,  I  must  be  a  suitor  unto  your 
lordship  in  the  behalf  of  divers  poor  men,  and  specially  mP°°rmen- 
the  cause  of  my  poor  sister  :  I  have  made  a  supplication  to 
the  queen's  majesty  in  their  behalfs.  I  beseech  your  lord 
ship  for  Christ's  sake,  to  be  a  mean  to  her  grace  for  them. 
My  brother  here  hath  the  supplication,  and  will  resort  to 
your  lordship  to  certify  you  hereof.  There  is  nothing  in  all 
the  world  that  troubleth  my  conscience,  I  praise  God,  this 
only  excepted.  Whilst  I  was  in  the  see  of  London,  divers 
poor  men  took  leases  of  me,  and  agreed  with  me  for 
the  same.  Now  I  hear  say,  the  bishop  that  now  occupietli  ^"JJJ  t{j£ 
the  same  room  will  not  allow  my  grants  unto  them  made,  leases  from 

•    '  '  poor  men 

but,  contrary  unto  all  law  and  conscience,  hath  taken  from 
them  their  livings,  and  will  not  suffer  them  to  enjoy  the  Ridley- 
same.     I  beseech  you,  my  lord,  be  a  mean  for  them  :  you 
shall  do  a  good  deed,  and  God  will  reward  you." 

Then  they  brought  a  faggot,  kindled  with  fire,  and  laid  J 
the  same  down  at  Dr  Ridley's  feet.     To  whom  Master  Latimer  S^rj™afrtyr: 
spake  in  this  manner  :  "  Be  of  good  comfort,  Master  Ridley, 
and  play  the  man.     We  shall  this  day  light  such  a  candle,  by 
God's  grace,  in  England,  as  I  trust  shall  never  be  put  out." 

And  so  the  fire  being  given  unto  them,  when  Dr  Ridley 
saw  the  fire  flaming  up  towards  him,  he  cried  with  a  won 
derful  loud  voice,  "  In  manus  tuas,  Domine,  commendo  spiritum 
meum  :  Domine,  recipe  spiritum  meum."  And  after  repeated 
this  latter  part  often  in  English,  "Lord,  Lord,  receive  my 
spirit;"  Master  Latimer  crying  as  vehemently  on  the  other 
side,  "  0  Father  of  heaven,  receive  my  soul  !"  who  received 
the  flame  as  it  were  embracing  of  it.  After  that  he  had  mart>"rdom- 


saints- 


298  MARTYKDOM. 

stroked  his  face  with  his  hands,  and  as  it  were  bathed  them 
a  little  in  the  fire,  he  soon  died  (as  it  appeared)  with  very 
little  pain  or  none.  And  thus  much  concerning  the  end  of 
this  old  and  blessed  servant  of  God,  Master  Latimer,  for 
whose  laborious  travails,  fruitful  life,  and  constant  death,  the 
whole  realm  hath  cause  to  give  great  thanks  to  Almighty 
God. 

But  Master  Eidley,  by  reason  of  the  evil  making  of  the 
fire  unto  him,  because  the  wooden  faggots  were  laid  about 
the  gorse,  and  over-high  built,  the  fire  burned  first  beneath, 
being  kept  down  by  the  wood ;  which  when  he  felt,  he  de 
sired  them  for  Chrisfs  sake  to  let  the  fire  come  unto  him. 
Which  when  his  brother-in-law  heard,  but  not  well  under 
stood,  intending  to  rid  him  out  of  his  pain  (for  the  which  cause 
he  gave  attendance),  as  one  in  such  sorrow  not  well  advised 
what  he  did,  heaped  faggots  upon  him,  so  that  he  clean 
covered  him,  which  made  the  fire  more  vehement  beneath, 
that  it  burned  clean  all  his  nether  parts,  before  it  once 
touched  the  upper ;  and  that  made  him  leap  up  and  down 
under  the  faggots,  and  often  desire  them  to  let  the  fire  come 
un*°  *"m'  sajmg>  "  I  cannot  burn."  Which  indeed  appeared 
well;  for  after  his  legs  were  consumed  by  reason  of  his 
struggling  through  the  pain  (whereof  he  had  no  release,  but 
only  his  contentation  in  God),  he  shewed  that  side  toward 
us  clean,  shirt  and  all  untouched  with  flame.  Yet  in  all 
this  torment  he  forgot  not  to  call  unto  God  still,  having 
in  his  mouth,  "  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me,"  intermingling 
his  cry,  "  Let  the  fire  come  unto  me,  I  cannot  burn."  In 
which  pangs  he  laboured  till  one  of  the  standers-by  with 
his  bill  pulled  off  the  faggots  above,  and  where  he  saw  the 
The  death  fire  flame  up,  he  wrested  himself  unto  that  side.  And  when 

and  martyr-  l 

domof        the   flame   touched  the  gunpowder,  he  was  seen  to  stir  no 

Ridley. 

more,  but  burned  on  the  other  side,  falling  down  at  Master 
Latimer^s  feet ;  which,  some  said,  happened  by  reason  that 
the  chain  loosed ;  others  said,  that  he  fell  over  the  chain  by 
reason  of  the  poise  of  his  body,  and  the  weakness  of  the 
nether  limbs. 
The  lament-  Some  said,  that  before  he  was  like  to  fall  from  the  stake, 

m£  hearts 

of  the  people  he  desired  them  to  hold  him  to  it  with  their  bills.     How- 

at  the  mar 
tyrdom  of    ever  it  was,  surely  it.  moved  hundreds  to  tears,  in  beholding 


MARTYRDOM.  2.09 

the  horrible  sight ;    for   I   think   there   was   none,  that  had  tiieso  two 

0  saints. 

not  clean  exiled  all  humanity  and  mercy,  which  would  not 
have  lamented  to  behold  the  fury  of  the  fire  so  to  rage 
upon  their  bodies.  Signs  there  were  of  sorrow  on  every  side. 
Some  took  it  grievously  to  see  their  deaths,  whose  lives  they 
held  full  dear:  some  pitied  their  persons,  that  thought  their 
souls  had  no  need  thereof.  His  brother  moved  many  men, 
seeing  his  miserable  case,  seeing  (I  say)  him  compelled  to  such 
infelicity,  that  he  thought  then  to  do  him  best  service,  when 
lie  hastened  his  end.  Some  cried  out  of  the  fortune,  to  see 
his  endeavour  (who  most  dearly  loved  him,  and  sought  his 
release)  turn  to  his  greater  vexation  and  increase  of  pain. 
But  whoso  considered  their  preferments  in  time  past,  the 
places  of  honour  that  they  some  time  occupied  in  this  com 
monwealth,  the  favour  they  were  in  with  their  princes,  and 
the  opinion  of  learning  they  had  in  the  university  where  they 
studied,  could  not  choose  but  sorrow  with  tears,  to  see  so 
great  dignity,  honour,  and  estimation,  so  necessary  members 
sometime  accounted,  so  many  godly  virtues,  the  study  of  so 
many  years,  such  excellent  learning,  to  be  put  into  the  fire, 
and  consumed  in  one  moment.  Well !  dead  they  are,  and 
the  reward  of  this  world  they  have  already.  What  reward 
remaineth  for  them  in  heaven,  the  day  of  the  Lord's 
glory,  when  he  cometh  with  his  saints,  shall  shortly,  I  trust, 
declare. 


SMALLER    TREATISES 


AND  OTHER  DOCUMENTS 


NICHOLAS    RIDLEY,    D.D. 


SOMETIME   LORD    BISHOP   OF   LONDON'. 


RIDLEY'S  ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  DISPUTATION  AT  OXFORD. 

REPRINTED  FROM  COVERDALE'S  LETTERS 

OF  THE  MARTYRS. 


The  manner  of  DR  RIDLEY'S  handling  in  the  schools  at  Ox 
ford^  and  of  the  impudent,  spiteful,  and  cruel  dealing  of 
the  papists:  which  he  set  before  his  disputation  ly  way 
of  a  preface*. 

I  NEVER  yet  in  all  my  life  saw  or  heard  any  thing  done 
or  handled  more  vainly  or  tumultuously,  than  the  disputation 
which  was  had  with  me  of  late  in  the  schools  at  Oxford. 
And  surely  I  could  never  have  thought,  that  it  had  been 
possible  to  have  found  any  within  this  realm,  being  of  any 
knowledge,  learning,  and  ancient  degree  of  school,  so  brazen 
faced  and  so  shameless,  as  to  behave  themselves  so  vainly 
and  so  like  stage-players,  as  they  did  in  that  disputation. 

The  Sorbonical  clamours  which  at  Paris  (when  popery 
most  reigned,)  I  in  times  past  have  seen,  might  be  worthily 
thought,  in  comparison  of  this  thrasonical  and  glorious  os 
tentation,  to  have  had  much  modesty.  Howbeit  it  was  not 
to  be  wondered  at,  for  that  they  which  should  there  have 
been  moderators  and  rulers  of  others,  and  which  should  have 
given  a  good  example  in  word,  gravity,  &c.  as  Paul  teacheth,  1 Tim- iv 
gave  worst  example  of  all ;  and  did,  as  it  were,  blow  the 
trumpet  to  other,  to  rail,  rage,  roar,  and  cry  out.  By  reason 
whereof,  good  Christian  reader,  it  is  manifest  that  they  never 
sought  for  any  truth,  but  only  for  the  glory  of  the  world 
and  a  bragging  victory.  But,  besides  the  innumerable  rail 
ings,  rebukes,  and  taunts,  wherewith  I  was  baited  on  every 
side,  lest  our  cause,  which  indeed  is  God's  cause  and  his 
church's,  should  also  by  the  false  examples  of  our  disputa 
tions  be  evil  spoken  of  and  slandered  to  the  world,  and  so 
the  verity  sustain  hurt  and  hindrance  thereby ;  I  have  thought 
good  to  write  my  answers  myself,  that  whosoever  is  desirous 

[x  The  original  Latin  will  be  found  prefacing  the  disputation  in 
Appendix.     ED.] 


504  ACCOUNT    OF    THE    DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

to  know  them  and  the  truth  withal,  may  thereby  perceive 
those  things  which  were  chiefly  objected  against  me,  and 
also  in  effect,  what  was  answered  of  me  to  every  of  them. 
Howbeit,  good  reader,  I  confess  this  to  be  most  true,  that 
it  is  impossible  to  set  forth  either  all  that  was  (God  know- 
eth)  tumultuously  spoken,  and  like  as  of  mad  men  objected 

fused! v       °^  so  manv>   which   spake  oftentimes  huddle a,   so  that  one 

*or-  could  not  well  hear  another;  either b  all  that  was  answered 

of  me  briefly  to  such  and  so  diverse  opponents.  Moreover, 
a  great  part  of  the  time  appointed  for  the  disputations  was 
vainly  spent  in  most  contumelious  taunts,  hissings,  clapping 

c intolerable.  Of  hands,  and  triumphs,  more  than  tolerable*  even  in  stage- 
plays,  and  that  in  the  English  tongue,  to  get  the  people's 
favour  withal.  All  which  things  when  I  with  godly  grief 
did  suffer,  and  therewithal  did  openly  bewail  and  witness, 
that  that  company  of  learned  men,  and  schools  which  were 
appointed  to  grave  men  and  to  grave  matters,  were  conta 
minate  and  defiled  by  such  foolish  and  Kobinhood  pastimes, 
and  that  they  which  were  the  doers  of  such  things,  did  but 
thereby  openly  shew  their  vanity;  I  was  so  far  by  my  such 
humble  complaint  from  doing  good,  or  helping  any  thing  at 

*  forced.  ajj^  f-j^  j  was  enforcedd,  what  with  hissing  and  shouting, 
and  what  with  authority,  to  hear  such  great  reproaches  and 
slanders  uttered  against  me,  as  no  grave  man  without  blush- 

el)y-  ing  could  abide  the  hearing  of  the  same  spoken  ofe  a  most 

vile  knave  against  a  irtost  wretched  ruffian.  At  the  begin 
ning  of  the  disputation,  when  I  should  have  confirmed  mine 
answer  to  the  first  proposition  in  few  words,  and  that  after 
the  manner  of  disputations;  before  I  could  make  an  end 
of  my  probation,  which  was  not  very  long,  even  the  doctors 
themselves  cried  out,  "  He  speaketh  blasphemies,  blasphe 
mies,  blasphemies."  And  when  I  on  my  knees  most  humbly 
and  heartily  besought  them,  that  they  would  vouchsafe  to 
hear  me  to  the  end,  whereat  the  prolocutor  (something  moved, 
as  it  seemed)  cried  out,  "  Let  him  read  it,  let  him  read  it ; " 
yet  when  I  again  began  to  read  it,  there  was  by  and  by  such 
a  cry  and  noise,  "  Blasphemies,  blasphemies,"  as  I  (to  my  re 
membrance)  never  heard  or  read  the  like,  except  it  be  one 
which  was  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  stirred  up  of  Deme 
trius  the  silversmith,  and  others  of  his  occupation,  crying 


ACCOUNT    OF    THE    DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD.  305 

out  against  Paul,  "Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians,  great 
is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians;"  and  except  it  were  a  certain 
disputation  which  the  Arians  had  against  the  Orthodox,  and 
such  as  were  of  godly  judgment  in  Africa,  where  it  is  said, 
that  such  as  the  presidents  and  rulers  of  the  disputation 
were,  such  was  also  the  end  of  the  disputation,  all  was 
done  in  hurlyburly,  and  the  slanders  of  the  Arians  were  so 
outrageous  that  nothing  could  quietly  be  heard.  So  writeth 
Victor  in  the  second  book  of  his  history.  And  thus  the 
cries  and  tumults  of  these  men  against  me  now  so  prevailed, 
that,  whether  I  would  or  no,  I  was  enforced  to  leave  off  the 
reading  of  my  probations,  although  they  were  but  short.  And 
of  the  truth  hereof  I  have  all  those  that  were  present,  being 
of  any  discretion  or  honesty,  to  be  my  witnesses.  But  hereof 
will  I  cease  to  complain  any  further1. 

Know,  gentle  reader,  that  master  Prolocutor  did  pro 
mise  me  in  the  disputations  publicly,  that  I  should  see  mine 
answers,  how  they  were  collected  and  gathered  of  the  no 
taries,  and  that  I  should  have  licence  to  add  or  diminish,  to 
alter  or  change  afterwards,  as  I  should  think  best  would 
make  for  me  to  the  answering  of  the  propositions.  He  pro 
mised  moreover  publicly,  that  I  should  have  both  time  and 
place  for  me  to  bring  in  frankly  all  that  I  could  for  the 
confirmation  of  mine  answers.  Now  when  he  had  promised 
all  these  things  openly,  in  the  hearing  of  other  commission 
ers  and  of  the  whole  University  of  Oxford,  yet,  good  reader, 
mark  this,  that  in  very  deed  he  performed  nothing  of  all 
that  he  promised :  what  faith  then  shall  a  man  look  to  find 
at  such  judges'  hands  in  the  secret  mysteries  of  God,  which 
in  their  promises  so  openly  made,  and  so  duly  debt/  (I 
will  not  speak  of  the  witnesses  of  the  matter,)  are  found  to 
be  so  faithless  both  to  God  and  man?  Well,  I  will  leave 
it  to  the  judgment  of  the  wise. 

And  now,  for  that  is  left  for  us  to  do,  let  us  pray  that  God 
would  have  mercy  on  his  Church  of  England ;  that  yet  once, 

Q1  Coverdale,  from  whom  this  account  is  reprinted,  divides  it  at 
this  passage  into  two  portions,  and  places  each  separately  among 
Ridley's  letters,  at  the  same  time  apologizing  for  the  division,  and 
stating  that  it  ought  not  to  have  been  made.  See  Coverdale's  Letters 
of  the  Reformers,  fol.  112.  Ed.  1564.  ED.] 

20 
[RIDLEY,] 


S06  ACCOUNT    OP    THE    DISPUTATION    AT    OXFORD. 

when  it  shall  be  his  good  pleasure,  it  may  clearly  see  and 
greedily  embrace,  in  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  will  of 
the  heavenly  Father;  and  that,  of  his  infinite  mercy,  he 
would  either  turn  to  him  the  raging  and  ravening  wolves, 
and  most  subtle  seducers  of  his  people,  which  are  by  them 
eor-  altogether  spoiled  and  bewitched,  either s  that  of  his  most 

righteous  judgment  he  would  drive  these  faithless  feeders 
from  his  flock,  that  they  may  no  more  be  able  to  trouble 
and  scatter  abroad  Christ's  sheep  from  their  shepherd — and 
that  speedily.  Amen,  amen.  And  let  every  one  that  hath 
the  Spirit  (as  St  John  saith)  say,  Amen. 

Yet  further  know  thou,  that  when  Master  Prolocutor  did 

put  forth  three  propositions,  he  did  command  us  to  answer 

particularly  to  them  all.     After  our  answers  neither  he  nor 

his  fellows  did  ever  enter  into  any  disputation  of  any  one  of 

them,  saving    only  of  the    first.     Yea,   when   that    he   had 

asked  us,  after  disputations  of  the  first,  (as  ye  have  heard 

for  my  part,)  whether  we  would  subscribe  to  the  whole  in 

such  sort,  form,  and  words  as  there  are  set  forth,  without 

*  refused,     further  disputation,  (which  thing  we  denied11)  by  and  by  he 

gave  sentence  against  us  all ;  that  is,  against  me,  Dr  Cranmer, 

and  Mr  Latimer,  my  most  dear  fathers  and  brethren  in  Christ ; 

condemning  us  for  heinous  heretics  concerning  every  of  these 

propositions ;  and  so  separated  us  one  from  another,  sending 

us  severally  into  sundry  and  diverse  houses,  to  be  kept  most 

secretly  till  the  day  of  our  burning;   and  as  before,  so  still 

commanded,  that   all  and  every  one  of  our  servants  should 

be  kept  from  us;  whereto  he  added  that  at   his  departure 

thence,   pen,   ink,   and    paper    should    depart    from   us  also. 

"r™thateth  But  thanks  be  to  God,  that  gave  me  to  write  this  before 

frultfufre-    the  use  of  such  things  were  utterly  taken  away.     Almighty 

deputation  Grod,  which  beholdeth  the  causes  of  the  afflicted,  and  is  wont 

wh?chf(he'    to   loose   and   look  mercifully  on  the  bonds   and  groanings 

Efsno\vnWlt   of  the  captives,  he  vouchsafe  now  to  look  upon  the  causes 

of  his   poor   church  in  England,  and,  of  his  great   wisdom 

and  unspeakable  mercy,  with  speed  to  make  an  end  of  our 

misery  !     Amen,  amen,  amen. 


CERTAIN  MATTERS  WHEREIN   STEPHEN   GARDINER,    BISHOP 

OF  WINCHESTER,  VARIETH   FROM   OTHER  OF   THE 

PAPISTS,  TOUCHING  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  THE 

LORD'S  SUPPER;    REPRINTED  FROM 

FOX'S  ACTS  AND  MONUMENTS. 


FOX'S   PREFACE. 

FORASMUCH,  good  reader,  as  our  adversaries,  that  is  the 
Romish  Catholics,  as  Lindanus1,  Pighius,  Gardiner,  with  others 
more,  are  wont  so  greatly  to  charge  us  with  dissension  and 
repugnance  among  ourselves;  for  the  same  cause  I  have 
thought  good,  especially  having  here  in  hand  the  story  of 
AVinchester,  to  set  forth  to  the  eyes  of  men  a  brief  treatise 
of  Dr  Ridley,  wherein,  as  in  a  glass,  you  may  see,  and  that 
by  his  own  words  and  in  his  own  works,  the  manifest  con 
trariety  and  repugnance  of  the  said  Winchester:  first,  with 
other  writers;  secondly,  with  himself,  in  the  matter  of  the 
sacrament ;  thirdly,  herein  thou  mayest  see  and  understand 
how  far  and  wherein  not  only  he  disagreeth  from  his  own 
profession,  but  also  granteth  and  agreeth  with  sundry  of  our 
assertions  in  the  said  matter;  as  by  reading  thereof  thou 
mayest  see  and  perceive  more  at  large. 


•-OTHER  Catholics  say,  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  made 
of  bread.  Thomas  vult,  ex  pane ',  non  de  pane,  parte  tertia2; 
Winchester  saith,  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  not  made  of 
the  matter  of  bread,  nor  ever  was  so  taught,  but  is  made 
present  of  bread3. 

Q1  The  following  may  be  mentioned  as  a  specimen  of  such  writings : 
"  De  M.  Lutheri  et  aliorum  sectariorum  varietate  opuscula ;  item  Guil. 
Lindani  hereseon  tabulae ; "  Colonise,  1579.  ED.] 

[*  The  second  references  within  brackets  thus  ( — )  refer  to  Cran- 
mer's  works,  Ed.  Oxon.  by  the  Rev..  Henry  Jenkyns,  M.A.  1833.  ED.] 

2  Quest.  75,  art.  8. 

[3  P.  72, 1.  14;  and  p.  178, 1. 10,  (vol.  iii.  p.  145,  303.)    ED.] 

20—2 


308  BISHOP    GARDINER 

Confutation  of  Winchester  against  Cranraer. 

2.  Winchester  saith,  that  Christ  called  bread  his  body, 
when  he  said,    "This   is   my  body1."     And   in   the   Devil's 
Sophistry2.     Others  say  contrary3. 

Winchester  saith,  that  "bread  is  my  body,"  is  as  much 
as  to  say,  "bread  is  made  my  body."  And  so  he  taketh 
est  for  fit*.  Others  say  that  est  is  taken  there  sub- 
stantively,  that  is  to  say,  only  for  "is,"  and  not  for  "is 
made5." 

Winchester  saith,  that  "  Christ  is  present  in  the  sacrament 
carnally  and  corporally,  after  the  same  signification  that  he 
is  in  heaven6." 

3.  Winchester  saith  also,  that  when  we  speak  of  Christ's 
body,   we    must   understand   a   true   body   which  hath   both 
form  and  quantity7.     Smith  saith,  that  Christ's  body  in  the 
sacrament  hath  not  its  proper  form  and  quantity,  fol.  106. 
And  the  contrary  he  saith,  fol.  1058. 

4.  Winchester  saith,  we   believe   simply  that  Christ  is 
naturally  and   corporally  in   the   sacrament  without   drawing 
away  his   accidents,  or  adding9.     Smith   saith,  we   say  that 
Christ's   body  is   in  the   sacrament  against  nature,  with  all 
its  qualities  and  accidents10. 

5.  Winchester   saith,  that   God's  works  be   all   seemli- 
ness  without  confusion,  although  he  cannot  locally  distinguish 
Christ's  head  from  his  feet,  nor  his  legs   from   his   arms11. 
Others  say,  that  Christ's  head  and  feet,  and  other  parts,  be 
not  indeed  locally  distinct  in  the  sacrament,  but  be  so  con 
founded,  that  wheresoever  one  is,  there  be  all  the  rest. 

6.  Winchester  saith,  that  Christ's  body  is  in  the  sacra- 

[x  P.  257, 1.  27,  (vol.  iii.  p.  369.) 
3  And  in  the  Devil's  Sophistry,  fol.  27. 

3  See  Smith,  fol.  53. 

4  P.  295, 1.  35,  (vol.  iii.  p.  425.)     Confutation. 

5  Marc.  Anton,  fol.  171,  fac.  2. 

6  P.  141, 1.  6,  (vol.  iii.  p.  213.)     Confutation. 

7  P.  71, 1.  37,  (vol.  iii.  p.  132.) 

8  Chedsey  in  disputatione  cum  Petro  Mart. 

9  P.  353, 1. 1,  (vol.  iii.  p.  502.) 

10  Fol.  105. 

11  P.  70, 1.  27,  (vol.  iii.  p.  115.)    Confutation.    ED.] 


ON  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  309 

ment  sensibly,  naturally,  carnally,  and  corporally12.     Others  say 
contrary 13. 

7.  Others  say,  that  Christ's   feet   in  the  sacrament  be 
there  where  his  head  is.     Winchester  saith,  that  whosoever 
saith  so,  may  be  called  mad14. 

8.  Others   say,   that    corporally   Christ   goeth   into   the 
mouth  or  stomach,  and  no  further15.     He  saith  contrary16. 

9.  Winchester  saith,  that  Christ  dwelleth  corporally  in 
him  that  receiveth  the  sacrament  worthily,  so   long  as  he 
remaineth  a  member  of  Christ17.     Others  say  contrary18. 

10.  Winchester  saith,  that  no  creature  can  eat  the  body 
of  Christ,  but  only  man19.    Others  say  clean  contrary  :  Thomas, 
Hoc  derogat^  inquit,  veritati  corporis   C/iristi20.     Perin21,  in 
his  sermon  of  the  Sacrament:   "What  inconvenience  is  it, 
though  the  impassible  body  lie  in  the  mouth  or  maw  of  the 
beast,"  &c.     Magister  Suntentiarum,  qui  dicit  corpus  Christi 
2)osse  a  mure  manducari  aut  a  bruto,  is  condemned22. 

11.  Winchester  saith,  that  an  unrepentant  sinner,  re 
ceiving   the   sacrament,   hath   not    Christ's   body   nor   spirit 
within  him23.     Smith  saith,  that  he  hath  Christ's  body  and 
spirit  within  him24. 

12.  Winchester  saith,  that  of  the  figure  it  may  not  be 
said,  "  Adore  it,  worship  it ;"  and  that  it  is  not  to  be  adored 

[12  P.  159, 1.  9,  (vol.  iii.  p.  240.)    Confutation. 
1:5  Smith,  fol.  39. 

14  P.  61, 1.  84,  (vol.  iii.  p.  115.)    Confutation. 

15  Bonaventura,  Hugo,  Innocent,  3,  lib.  iv.  cap.  15.     Glos.  de  con- 
secrat.  dist.  2,  cap.  "tribus",  et  in  glos.  "non  iste".     Thorn.  Parte  3, 
Bluest.  80,  art.  3.    "Tamdiu  manet  dum  est  in  digestione."     Smith^ 
fol.  64. 

16  P.  52, 1.  36,  (vol.  iii.  p.  99.)    Confutation. 

17  P.  53, 1. 1 ;  p.  56, 1.  31,  (vol.  iii.  p.  106.)    Confutation. 

18  Smith,  fol.  64. 

19  P.  66, 1.  30,  (vol.  iii.  p.  123.)    Confutation. 

20  Part  3,  q.  8,  art.  3. 

21  "Three  godly  and  notable  Sermons,  by  W.  Peryn.     Imprynted 
by  Nicolas  Hyll;"  8vo.    London.  1546.     See  Dibdin's  Typographical 
Antiquities,  4.  230. 

22  "  A  mouse  may  eat  Christ's  body,"  saith  the  Master  of  the  Sen 
tences.    "  A  mouse  cannot  eat  it,"  saith  Winchester. 

23  P.  225, 1.  36,  (vol.  iii.  p.  328.) 

™  Fol.  136.    "Within  him,"  that  is,  within  his  soul.    ED.] 


310  BISHOP     GARDINER 

which  the  bodily  eye  seeth1 :   Docetur  populus  non  adorare 
quod  mdent  oculis  corporis.     Smith  saith  contrary2. 

13.  Winchester  saith,  that  reason  will  agree  with  the 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation  well  enough3.     Smith  saith  that 
transubstantiation  is  against  reason  and  natural  operation4. 

14.  Others  say,  that  worms  in  the  sacrament  be  gen 
dered  of  accidents :  Ex  speciebus  sacramentalibus  generentur 
vermesb.     Winchester   saith,    that   they   be   wrong   borne   in 
hand  to  say  soc. 

15.  Winchester  saith,  that  the  accidents  of  bread  and 
wine  do  mould,  sour,  and  wax  vinegar7.     But  he  answereth 
so  confusedly,  that  the  reader  cannot  understand  him,  be  he 
never  so  attentive.     Smith  saith,  "  Thus  I  say,  that  the  con 
secrated  wine  turneth  not  into  vinegar,  nor  the  consecrated 
bread  mouldeth,  nor  engendereth  worms,  nor  is  burned,  nor 
receiveth  into  it  any  poison,  as  long  as  Christ's  body  and 
blood  are  under  the  forms   of  them,  which  do  abide   there 
so  long  as  the  natural  qualities  and  properties  of  bread  and 
wine  tarry  there  in  their  natural  disposition  and  condition ; 
and   the   bread  and  wine  might  be   naturally  there,  if  they 
had   not  been   changed   into    Christ's  body   and   blood,   and 
also  as   long  as  the  host  and  consecrated  wine  are  apt  to 
be  received  of  man,  and  no  longer,  but  go  and  depart  thence 
by  God's  power,  as  it  pleaseth  him ;   and  then  a  new  sub 
stance  is  made  of  God,  which  turneth  into  vinegar,  engen 
dereth  worms,  mouldeth,  is  burned,  feedeth  rats  and  mice, 
receiveth  poison8,"  &c. 

16.  Winchester  saith,  "Every  'yea1  containeth  a  'nay" 
in  it  naturally :   so  as  whosoever  saith,  this  is  bread,  saith 
it  is  no  wine.     For  in  the  rule  of  common  reason  the  grant 
of  one   substance  is  the  denial  of  another.     And  therefore 
reason  hath  these  conclusions  thoroughly ;  whatsoever  is  bread 

P  P.  178, 1. 40;  p.339, 1. 32,  (vol.  iii.  p. 269;)  Marc. Anton,  fol.  136, fac.  2. 

2  Fol.  145,  fac.  2. 

3  P.  264, 1.  47,  (vol.  iii.  p.  382.)    Confutation. 

4  Fol.  60. 

0  Thorn,  par.  3,  q.  77,  art.  5. 

c  P.  355, 1.  3,  (vol.  iii.  p.  505.)     Confutation. 

7  P.  265,  1.  11 ;   p.  355,  1.  8,   (vol.  iii.  p.  182.)     Confutation,   ct 
Marc.  Ant.  fol.  168,  fac.  1. 

8  Fol.  64,  and  fol.  105.    ED.] 


OX    THE    LORI/8    SUPPER.  31 1 

is  no  wine ;  whatsoever  is  wine,  is  no  milk ;  and  so  forth." 
So  Christ  saying,  This  is  my  body,  saith,  It  is  no  bread". 
Smith  saith,  that  a  boy  which  hath  only  learned  sophistry, 
will  not  dispute  so  fondly10. 

17.  Others  say,  that  the   mass  is  a   sacrifice   satisfac 
tory  by  the  devotion  of  the  priest  and  of  them  for  whom 
it  is  offered,  and  not  by  the  thing  that  is  offered11.     Win 
chester  saith  otherwise12. 

18.  Winchester  saith,  that  the  only  immolation  of  Christ 
in  himself  upon  the  altar  of  the  cross,  is  the  very  satisfac 
tory  sacrifice  for  the  reconciliation  of  mankind  unto  the  fa 
vour  of  God13.     Smith  saith,  "  What  is  it  to  offer  Christ's 
body  and  blood  at  mass,  to  purchase  thereby  everlasting  life, 
if  the  mass  be  not  a  sacrifice  to  pacify  God's  wrath  from 
sin,  and  to  obtain  his  mercy14  2"     Where   he   saith  further, 
"  Priests   do   offer  for   our  salvation  to  get  heaven,  and  to 
avoid  hell." 

Matters  wherein  BISHOP  GARDINER  varieth  from  himself. 

"  The  body  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament  is  not  made  of  First  pro- 
bread,  but  is  made  present  of  bread15." 

"  Of  bread  is  made  the  body  of  Christ16."  Contmiic- 

"  The  Catholic  faith  hath  from  the  beginning  confessed 
truly  Christ's  intent  to  make  bread  his  body17." 

"  And  of  many  breads  is  made  one  body  of  Christ18." 

"  And  faith  sheweth  me,  that  bread  is  the  body  of  Christ, 
that  is  to  say,  made  the  body  of  Christ19." 

"  Christ  gave  that  he  made  of  bread20." 

"  Christ  spake   plainly,   '  This   is  my  body,1  making   de-  Second  pro. 
monstration  of  the  bread,  when  he  said,  '  This  is  my  body21.""  P° 

[9  P.  256, 1.  38;  p.  265, 1.  5,  (vol.  iii.  p.  309.) 
10  Fol.  77.  n  Thorn,  par.  3,  9,  79,  art.  5. 

12  P.  80, 1.  43,  (vol.  iii.  p.  150.)     Confutation. 
a  P.  437, 1.  1,  (vol.  iii.  p.  543.)  14  Fol.  24,  148,  164. 

15  P.  76, 1.  6,  (vol.  iii.  p.  145,  303.)     Confutation. 
l(i  P.  344, 1.  8,  (vol.  iii.  p.  488.) 

17  P.  26, 1.  40,  (vol.  iii.  p.  72.)    Confutation. 

18  P.  144, 1.  23,  (vol.  iii.  p.  217.)     Confutation. 

19  P.  295, 1.  30,  (vol.  iii.  p.  425.)     Confutation. 

20  P.  257, 1. 50,  (vol.  iii.  p.  371.)     21  In  the  Devil's  Sophistry,  27.   ED.] 


312  BISHOP    GAEDINER 

"The  demonstration,   'this,'  may  be  referred  to  the  in 
visible  substance1." 
Contra-  "  The  verb  '  is1  was  of  his  body  and  of  his  blood,  and 

diction.  » 

not  of  the  bread  and  wine2." 
Third  pro-          "  HUs  verbis,  '  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,'  sulstantia  corporis 

position.  .m  x  p  * 

signtficatw,  nee  de  pane  quicquam  intelligitur,  quando  cor 
pus  de  substantia  sua,  non  aliena,  prcedicetur*  ?  "When 
Christ  said,  '  This  is  my  body,'  the  truth  of  the  literal  sense 
hath  an  absurdity  in  carnal  reason4." 

dfctfon"  "  What  can  be   more  evidently  spoken  of  the  presence 

of  Christ's  natural  body  and  blood  in  the  most  blessed  sa 
crament  of  the  altar,  than  is  in  these  words,  c  This  is  my 
body5*'" 

Fourth  pro-  "  Where  the  body  of  Christ  is,  there  is  whole  Christ, 
God  and  Man;  and  when  we  speak  of  Christ's  body,  we 
must  understand  a  true  body,  which  hath  both  form  and 
quantity6." 

"  And  he  is  present  in  the  sacrament,  as  he  is  in 
heaven7." 

"  We  believe  simply  the  substance  of  Christ's  body  to 
be  in  the  sacrament,  without  drawing  away  of  the  accidents, 
or  adding8." 

contra-  "  Christ  is  not  present  in  the  sacrament  after  the  man- 

diction. 

ner  of  quantity,  but  under  the  form  and  quantities  of  bread 
and  wine9." 
Fifth  pro-  "  jn  such  as  receive  the  sacrament  worthily,  Christ  dwell- 

position.  • 

eth  corporally,  and  naturally,  and  carnally10." 
contra-  "The  manner  of  Christ's  being  in  the  sacrament  is  not 

diction. 

corporal,  not  carnal,  not  natural,  not  sensible,  not  perceptible, 
but  only  spiritual11." 

Q1  P.  106, 1.  42,  (vol.  iii.  p.  178.)    Confutation. 

2  P.  251, 1.  8,  (vol.  iii.  p.  364.) 

3  Mar.  Anton,  fol.  24,  fac.  2. 

4  P.  138, 1. 19,  (vol.  iii.  p.  210.)    Confutation. 

5  In  the  Devil's  Sophistry,  fol.  51. 

6  P.  71, 1.47,  (vol.  iii.  p.  132.)   Mar.  Anton,  object.  77.  Smith,  fol.  105. 

7  P.  141, 1.  6,  (vol.  iii.  p.  213,  &c.)    Confutation. 

8  P.  353, 1. 1,  (vol.  iii.  p.  502.)     Confutation. 

9  P.  71, 1.  50;  p.  90, 1.  43,  (vol.  iii.  p.  132.) 

10  P.  166, 1. 19;  p.  173, 1.  54;  p.  191, 1.  47,  (vol.  iii.  pp.  251,  262, 287.) 

11  P.  159, 1.17;  p.197, 1.32,  (vol.  iii.  pp.  241, 295.)  Confutation.  ED.] 


OX    THE    LORD'S    SUPPEK.  313 

"We   receive  Christ  in  the  sacrament  of  his  flesh  and  sixth  pro- 

i  i      J     -e  -        i  •  AI.-I    12  "  position. 

blood,  if  we  receive  him  worthily   . 

"  When  an  unrepentant  sinner  receiveth  the  sacrament, 
he  hath  not  Christ's  body  within  him13/' 

"  He  that  eateth  verily  the  flesh  of  Christ,  is  by  nature 
in  Christ,  and  Christ  is  naturally  in  him14." 

"  An  evil  man  in  the  sacrament  receiveth  indeed  Christ's  Contra 

diction. 

very  body15." 

"  Evil  men  eat  verily  the  flesh  of  Christ10." 

"  Christ   ffiveth  us  to   be  eaten  the  same  flesh  that  he  seventh  pro- 

•  •>•>  position. 

took  of  the   Virgin  Mary1'. 

"  We  receive  not  in  the  sacrament  Christ's  flesh  that 
was  crucified18." 

"  St  Augustine's  rule  in  his  book,  De  Doctrina  Chris-  Eighth  pro- 
tiana,  pertaineth  not  to  Christ's  Supper19." 

"  St  Augustine  meaneth  of  the  sacrament20." 

"  Keason  in  the  place  of  service  (as  being  inferior  to  faith)  Ninth  pro- 
will  agree  with  the  faith  of  transubstantiation  well  enough21." 

"And  as  reason  received  into  faith's  service  doth  not  strive  contra- 
with  transubstantiation,  but  agreeth  well  with  it,   so   men's  dl' 
senses  be  not  such  direct  adversaries  to  transubstantiation, 
as  a  matter  whereof  they  cannot  skill;  for  the  senses  can 
not  skill  of  substances22." 

"  Thine  eyes  say,  there  is  but  bread  and  wine  ;  thy  taste 
saith  the  same;  thy  feeling  and  smelling  agree  fully  with 
them.  Hereunto  is  added  the  carnal  man's  understanding, 
which,  because  it  taketh  the  beginning  of  the  senses,  pro- 
ceedeth  in  reasoning  sensually23." 

"The  church  hath  not  forborne  to  preach  the  truth,  to 
the  confusion  of  man's  senses  and  understanding24." 

[12  P.  167,  1.  9  ;  p.  174,  1.  1,  (vol.  iii.  p.  252,  262.)    Confutation. 

13  P.  225,  1.  43,  (vol.  iii.  p.  328.)     Confutation. 

14  P.  17,  1.  38,  (vol.  iii.  p.  62.)    Confutation.  15  Ibid. 
36  P.  225,  1.  47,  (vol.  iii.  p.  328.)     Confutation. 

J7  P.  241,  1.  27,  (vol.  iii.  p.  348.) 

18  P.  243,  1.  16,  (vol.  iii.  p.  351.)    Confutation. 

19  P.  117,  1.  21,  (vol.  iii.  p.  190.) 

*  P.  119,  1.  24,  (vol.  iii.  p.  194.)    Confutation. 

21  P.  265,  1.  1,  (vol.  iii.  p.  382.)     Confutation. 

22  P.  271,  1.  24,  (vol.  iii.  p.  391.) 

In  the  Devil's  Sophistry,  fol.  6.  **  Fol.  15.    ED.] 


23 


314  BISHOP     GARDINER 

Tenth  "  It    is    called    bread,    because    of   the    outward    visible 

proposition. 

matter1, 
contra-  "  When  it  is  called  bread,  it  is  meant  Christ,  the  spi- 

dicti°n-  •  -,     T  12,, 

ritual  bread  . 
Eleventh  «  And  the  catholic  faith  teacheth,  that  the  fraction  is  in 

proposition. 

the  outward  sign,  and  not  in  the  body  of  Christ3." 
contra-  "  That  which  is  broken  is  the  body  of  Christ4." 

Twelfth. ^         »  The  inward  nature  of  the  bread  is  the  substance5." 

contra-  «  Substance  signified!  in  Theodoret,"  he  saith,  "  the  out- 

diction.  & 

ward  nature6." 
Thirteenth          "  The  substances  of  bread  and  wine  be  visible  creatures7." 

proposition. 

cp^tra-  "  Accidents  be  the  visible  natures,  and  visible  elements  . 

"  Christ  is  our  satisfaction  wholly  and  fully,  and  hath  paid 
OUT  whole  debt  to  God  the  Father  for  the  appeasing  of  his 
wrath  against  us9." 

contra-  "The  act  of  the  priest,  done  according  to  God's   com 

mandment,    must   needs    be    propitiatory,   and   ought   to   be 
trusted  on,  to  have  a  propitiatory  effect10." 

Fourteenth         «  The  sacrifice  of  our  Saviour  Christ  was  never  reiterate11." 

contra-  «  Priests  do  sacrifice  Christ12." 

"And  the  catholic  doctrine  teacheth  the  daily  sacrifice 
to  be  the  same  in  essence,  that  was  offered  on  the  cross13." 

Fifteenth  "The  Nestorians  granted  both  the  Godhead  and   Man- 

proposition.  °.    .  ,.       ,,  ^ ,, 

hood  always  to  be  in  Christ  continually14. 

"  The  Nestorians  denied  Christ  conceived  God,  or  born 
God,  but  that  he  was  afterward  God;  as  a  man  that  is  not 
born  a  bishop,  is  after  made  a  bishop.  So  the  Nestorians 
said,  that  the  Godhead  was  an  accession  after  by  merit,  and 
that  he  was  conceived  only  Man15." 

"  Christ  useth  us  as  familiarly  as  he  did  his  apostles16." 
dictSn"  "  Christ  is  not  said  to  be  conversant  in  earth17." 

Q1  P.  392.  2  P.  284, 1.  25,  (vol.  iii.  p.  411.) 

3  P.  144,  1.  39;   p.  348,  1.  21,  (vol.  iii.  p.  218,)  and  in  the  Devil's 

Sophistry,  fol.  17.  4  P-  348, 1. 18,  (vol.  iii.  p.  494.) 

5  P.  348, 1.  18,  (vol.  iii.  p.  494.)  6  P.  359, 1.  22,  (vol.  iii.  p.  511.) 

7  P.  285, 1.  48;  p.  286, 1.  44,  (vol.  iii.  p.  414.) 

8  P.  363, 1.  39,  (vol.  iii.  p.  518.)  9  P.  81, 1.  39,  (vol.  iii.  p.  150.) 
10  P.  387, 1.  13,  (vol.  iii.  p.  542.)          u  P.  368, 1.  46,  (vol.  iii.  p.  529.) 

13  P.  381, 1.  42,  (vol.  iii.  p.  583.)          13  P.  436, 1.  11,  (vol.  iii.  p.  541.) 

14  P.  309, 1. 18,  (vol.  iii.  p.  447.)          15  P.  309, 1. 12,  (vol.  iii.  p.  449.) 
16  P.  83, 1.  54,  (vol.  iii.  p.  152.)        17  P.  101, 1.16,  (vol. iii.  p.  173.)  ED.] 


ONT  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  315 

Certain  things  that  BISHOP  GARDINER  granted  unto. 

"  CHRIST  declared  eating  of  himself  to  signify  believing18." 
"  Christ  must  be  spiritually  in  man,  before  he  receive  the 
sacrament ;    or  else  he   cannot  receive  the   sacrament   wor- 

iliilv19  "  use  Of  the 

111V     •  sacrament. 

"How  Christ  is  present20." 

.     "By  faith  we  know  only  the  being  present   of  Christ's 
most  precious  body ;  not  the  manner  thereof21." 

"  When  we  speak  of  Christ's  body,  we  must  understand 
a  true  body,  which  hath  both  form  and  quantity22." 

"Although  Christ's  body  have  all  those  truths  of  form 
and  quantity,  yet  it  is  not  present  after  the  manner  of 
quantity23." 

"The  demonstrative  'this'  may  be  referred  to  the  in 
visible  substance24." 

"All  the  old  prayers  and  ceremonies  sound,  as  though 
the  people  did  communicate  with  the  priest'25." 

"  The  manner  of  Christ's  being  in  the  sacrament  is  not 
corporal  nor  carnal ;  not  natural,  not  sensible,  not  percepti 
ble,  but  only  spiritual20." 

"  When  the  unrepentant  sinner  receiveth  the  sacrament, 
he  hath  not  Christ's  body  within  him27." 

"  We  eat  not  Christ  as  he  sitteth  in  heaven  reigning  SV 

"  The  word   '  transubstantiation'  was  first  spoken  of  in  a  Transub- 

stantiation 

general  council,  where  the  bishop  of  Koine  was  present »."     first  spoken 

"In  the  sacrifice  of  the  church  Christ's  death  is  not 
iterated,  but  a  memory  daily  renewed  of  that  death ;  so  that 
Christ's  offering  on  the  cross,  once  done  and  consummate,  is 
now  only  remembered30." 

[ls  P.  27, 1.  7,  (vol.  iii.  p.  72.)     Confutation. 
19  P.  48, 1.  46;  p.  140, 1.  ult.;  p.  172, 1.  28,  (vol.  iii.  p.  94.) 
50  P.  Gl,  1.  10;  p.  71,  1.  41;  p.  90,  1.  44;  p.  57,  1.  17;  p.  197,  1.  SO, 
(vol.  iii.  p.  114.) 

21  P.  61, 1.43,  (vol.  iii.  p..  114.) 

22  Ibid. 

23  P.  71,  1.  34,  (vol.  iii.  p.  132.) 

!4  P.  106, 1.  44,  (vol.  iii.  p.  178.)         '•»  P.  145, 1.  90,  (vol.  iii.  p.  219.) 

P.  159, 1.  17;  p.  197, 1.  32,  (vol.  iii.  pp.  241,  295.) 
,  2r  P.  225, 1.  43,  (vol.  iii.  p.  328.)         2*  P.  243, 1.  32,  (vol.  iii.  p.  351.) 
29  P.  250, 1.  28,  (vol.  iii.  p.  363.)       »  P. 391, 1.5, (vol.  iii. p. 549.)  ED.] 


ANSWERS  TO  CERTAIN  QUERIES  TOUCHING  THE 
ABUSES  OF  THE  MASS. 


"  THIS  winter  (1548),  there  was  a  Committee  of  selected 
bishops  and  divines  appointed  for  examining  all  the  offices 
of  the  Church,  and  for  reforming  them.  Some  had  been  in 
King  Henry's  time  employed  in  the  same  business,  in  which 
they  had  made  a  good  progress,  which  was  now  to  be  brought 
to  a  full  perfection.  Therefore  the  Archbishops  of  Canter 
bury  and  York,  the  Bishops  of  London,  Durham,  Worcester, 
Norwich,  St  Asaph,  Salisbury,  Coventry  and  Lichfield,  Car 
lisle,  Bristol,  St  David's,  Ely,  Lincoln,  Chichester,  Hereford, 
Westminster  and  Rochester,  with  Doctors  Cox,  May,  Taylor, 
Heins,  Robertson  and  Redmayne  were  appointed  to  examine 
all  the  offices  of  the  Church,  and  to  consider  how  far  any  of 
them  needed  amendment."  "  The  thing  they  first  examined 
was  the  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist.'' — "  Cranmer's  hand  is 
over  every  one  of  them  (the  answers)  marking  the  name  of 
the  bishop  to  whom  they  belonged1." 

Burnet,  Hist,  of  the  Reformation,  Ed.  1816, 
Ox.  vol.  ii.  part  i.  pp.  113,  114,  115. 

Question  1. 

Question.  Whether  the  sacrament   of  the  Altar  was  instituted  to 

be  received  of  one  man  for  another,  or  to  be  received  of 
every  man  for  himself? 

Answer.  Qf  eyery  man   for  himself. 

Question  2. 

Question.  Whether  the  receiving  of  the  said  sacrament  of  one  man, 

doth  avail  and  profit  any  other? 

Answer.  No — but  as  the  receipt  of  wholesome  doctrine,  the  re 

ceipt  of  the  fear  of  God,  the  receipt  of  any  godly  gift,  that 
is  profitable  to  any  one  member  of  Christ's  mystical  body, 
may  be  said  generally  to  profit  the  whole  body,  because  there 

[*  The  answers  of  Ridley  have  been  extracted  and  are  here  published 
with  the  questions,  separately.    ED.] 


ANSWERS    TO    QUERIES    TOUCHING     THE    MASS.  317 

is  a  mystical  communion  and  a  spiritual  participation  amongst 
all  the  members  of  Christ  in  all  godliness,  as  there  is  in  the 
natural  body  a  natural  participation  of  all  natural  affections 
both  good  and  evil. 

Question  3. 

What  is  the  oblation  and  sacrifice  of  Christ  in  the  mass  I     Question. 

The  representation  and  commemoration  of  Christ's  death  Answer, 
and  passion,  said  and  done  in  the  mass,  is   called   the  sa 
crifice,   oblation  or  immolation   of    Christ:   non  rei   veritate 
(as  learned  men  do  write)  sed  significandi  mysterio. 

Question  4. 

Wherein  consisteth  the  mass  by  Christ's  institution?        Question. 

1  am  not  able  to  say  that  the  mass  consisteth  by  Christ's  Answer, 
institution  in  other  things  than  in  those  which  be  set  forth 
by  the  Evangelists,  Matthew,  Mark  and  Luke,  in  the  Acts, 
and  in  1   Cor.  x.  xi. 

Question  5. 

What  time  the  accustomed  order  began  in  the  Church,  Question. 
that  the  priest  alone  should  receive  the  sacrament? 

Because  the  Scripture  saith,  Panis  quern  frangimus  nonne  Answer. 
communicatio  corporis  est,  &c.  likewise  de  chalice  cui  be- 
nedicimus,  and  also,  bibite  ex  eo  omnes:  and  the  Canons 
said  to  be  of  the  Apostles,  10  and  11.  and  of  the  Anti- 
ochian  council  can.  2.  Anacletus  in  an  epistle  commandeth 
the  sacrament  to.  be  received  of  more  than  the  priest  alone  : 
Dyonise  also  declareth  the  same,  and  long  after,  Chrysostom : 
St  Ambrose  and  St  Augustine  both  complain  of  the  slack 
ness  of  some,  and  earnestly  exhort  the  people  to  the  receipt 
thereof:  therefore  I  suppose  that  custom,  that  the  priest 
should  receive  it  alone  where  it  was  celebrated  openly,  was 
not  received  in  the  Church  of  Christ  by  the  space  of  four 
or  five  hundred  years  at  least  after  Christ. 

Question  6. 

Whether  it  be  convenient  that  the  same  custom  continue  Question, 
still  within  this  realm? 

I  suppose  it  were  best  that   the   custom  should  be  re-  Answer. 


318  ANSWERS    TO    QUERIES    TOUCHING    THE    MASS. 

formed  unto  the  rule  of  Scripture,  and  unto  the  pattern  of 
the  primitive  church. 

Question  7. 

Question.  Whether  it  be  convenient  that  masses  satisfactory  should 

continue,  that  is  to  say,  priests  hired  to  sing  for  souls  de 
parted  ? 

Answer.  That  masses  satisfactory  should  continue  to  be  sung  for 

souls  departed  by  priests  hired  thereunto,  I  think  it  not 
convenient. 


Question.  Whether  the  gospel  ought  to  be  taught  at  the  time  of 

the  mass  to  the  understanding  of  the  people  being  present? 

Answer.  The  Annunciation  of  Chrises  death  and  passion,  and  the 

benefit  of  the  same,  that  [is]  the  forgiveness  of  sins  to  all 
the  true  and  faithful  believers  therein,  ought  evermore  to  be 
set  forth  in  the  mass  to  the  edification  of  the  people,  which 
thing  cannot  be  done  according  to  St  PauFs  mind  and 
meaning,  1  Cor.  xiv.  as  I  suppose,  except  it  be  set  forth 
to  the  people's  understanding. 

Question  9. 

Question.  Whether  in  the  mass  it  were  convenient  to  use  such 

speech  as  the  people  may  understand? 

Answer.  I  think  it  not  only  convenient  that  such  speech  should 

be  used  in  the  mass  as  the  people  might  understand,  but 
also  to  speak  it  with  such  an  audible  voice  that  the  people 
might  hear  it,  that  they  be  not  defrauded  of  their  own, 
which  St  Paul  teacheth  to  belong  to  them,  and  also  that 
they  may  answer,  as  Cyprian  saith  the  people  did  in  his 
days,  " Habemus  ad  Dominum"  Nevertheless  as  concemeth 
that  part  which  pertaineth  to  the  consecration,  Dyonise  and 
Basil  move  me  to  think  it  no  inconvenience  that  [that]  part 
should  be  spoken  in  silence* 

Question  10. 

Qu?stion.  When  the  reservation  of  the  sacrament  and  the  hanging 

uj5  of  the  same  first  began? 
Answer.  No  answer  of  Ridley's  to  this  query  has  been  preserved. 


INJUNCTIONS  GIVEN  IN  THE  VISITATION  OF  THE  REVEREND 

FATHER  IN  GOD,  NICHOLAS   BISHOP  OF  LONDON,  FOR 

AN  UNIFORMITY  IN  HIS  DIOCESE  OF  LONDON,  IN 

THE  FOURTH  YEAR  OF  .OUR  SOVEREIGN  LORD 

KING  EDWARD  THE  SIXTH,  BY  THE  GRACE 

OF  GOD,  KING  OF  ENGLAND,  &c. 

LONDON,  A.D.  1550. 


FIRST,  That  there  be  no  reading  of  such  injunctions  as 
and  setteth  forth  the  popish  mass,  candles,  images, 
chauntries;  neither  that  there  be  used  any  superaltaries,  or 
trentals  of  communions. 

Item.  That  no  minister  do  counterfeit  the  popish  mass, 
in  kissing  the  Lord's  board;  washing  his  hands  or  fingers 
after  the  gospel,  or  the  receipt  of  the  holy  communion; 
shifting  the  book  from  one  place  to  another;  laying  down 
and  licking  the  chalice  after  the  communion;  blessing  his 
eyes  with  the  sudarie  thereof,  or  paten,  or  crossing  his 
head  with  the  same,  holding  his  fore-fingers  and  thumbs 
joined  together  toward  the  temples  of  his  head,  after  the  re 
ceiving  of  the  sacrament ;  breathing  on  the  bread,  or  chalice ; 
saying  the  Agnus  before  the  communion ;  shewing  the  sacra 
ment  openly  before  the  distribution,  or  making  any  elevation 
thereof;  ringing  of  the  sacrying  bell,  or  setting  any  light 
upon  the  Lord's  board.  And  finally,  that  the  minister,  in 
the  time  of  the  holy  communion,  do  use  only  the  ceremonies 
and  gestures  appointed  by  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
and  none  other,  so  that  there  do  not  appear  in  them  any 
counterfeiting  of  the  popish  mass. 

Item.  That  none  be  admitted  to  receive  the  holy  commu 
nion,  but  such  as  will,  upon  request  of  the  curate,  be  ready 
with  meekness  and  reverence  to  confess  "the  articles  of  the 
Creed. 

Item.  That  none  make  a  mart  of  the  holy  communion, 
by  buying  and  selling  the  receipt  thereof  for  money,  as  the 
popish  mass  in  times  past  was  wont  to  be. 

Item.  Whereas  in  divers  places  some  use  the  Lord's  board 
after  the  form  of  a  table,  and  some  of  an  altar,  whereby 


320  INJ  UNCTIONS. 

dissension  is  perceived  to  arise  among  the  unlearned;  there 
fore  wishing  a  godly  unity  to  be  observed  in  all  our  dio 
cese,  and  for  that  the  form  of  a  table  may  more  move  and 
turn  the  simple  from  the  old  superstitious  opinions  of  the 
popish  mass,  and  to  the  right  use  of  the  Lord's  supper,  we 
exhort  the  curates,  church-wardens,  and  questmen  here  pre 
sent,  to  erect  and  set  up  the  Lord's  board  after  the  form 
of  an  honest  table,  decently  covered,  in  such  place  of  the 
quire  or  chancel,  as  shall  be  thought  most  meet  by  their 
discretion  and  agreement,  so  that  the  ministers,  with  the  com 
municants,  may  have  their  place  separated  from  the  rest 
of  the  people;  and  to  take  down  and  abolish  all  other  by- 
altars  or  tables. 

Item.  That  the  minister,  in  the  time  of  the  communion, 
immediately  after  the  offertory,  shall  monish  the  communi 
cants,  saying  these  words,  or  such-like,  "  Now  is  the  time,  if 
it  please  you,  to  remember  the  poor  men's  chest  with  your 
charitable  alms." 

Item.  That  the  Homilies  be  read  orderly,  without  omis 
sion  of  any  part  thereof. 

Item.  The  common  prayer  be  had  in  every  church  upon 
Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  according  to  the  king's  grace's 
ordinance ;  and  that  all  such  as  conveniently  may,  shall 
diligently  resort  to  the  same. 

Item.  That  every  curate  be  diligent  to  teach  the  Catechism, 
whensoever  just  occasion  is  offered,  upon  the  Sunday  or 
holy-day,  and  at  least  every  six  weeks  once  shall  call  upon 
his  parishioners,  and  present  himself  ready  to  instruct  and 
examine  the  youth  of  the  same  parish,  according  to  the  book 
of  service  touching  the  same. 

Item.  That  none  maintain  purgatory,  invocation  of  saints, 
the  six  articles,  beadrolls,  images,  reliques,  rubrick  primars. 
with  invocation  of  saints,  justification  of  man  by  his  own 
works,  holy  bread,  palms,  ashes,  candles,  sepulchre  paschal, 
creeping  to  the  cross,  hallowing  of  the  fire  or  altar,  or  any 
other  such  like  abuses  and  superstitions,  now  taken  away 
by  the  king's  grace's  most  godly  proceedings1. 

Item.  That  all  ministers  do  move  the  people  to  often  and 
worthy  receiving  of  the  holy  communion. 

P  For  Gardiner's  opinion  of  Ridley's  proceedings,  see  Appendix  IV.] 


INJUNCTIONS.  321 

Item.  That  every  minister  do  move  his  parishioners  to 
come  diligently  to  the  church;  and  when  they  come,  not  to 
talk,  or  walk,  in  the  sermon,  communion,  or  divine  service- 
time,  but  rather  at  the  same  to  behave  themselves  reverently, 
godly,  and  devoutly  in  the  church ;  and  that  they  also  monish 
the  churchwardens  to  be  diligent  overseers  in  that  behalf. 

Item.  That  the  churchwardens  do  not  permit  any  buy 
ing,  selling,  gaming,  outrageous  noise  or  tumult,  or  any 
other  idle  occupying  of  youth  in  the  church,  church-porch, 
or  church-yard,  during  the  time  of  common  prayer,  sermon, 
or  reading  of  the  homily. 

Item.  That  no  persons  use  to  minister  the  sacraments, 
or  in  open  audience  of  the  congregation  presume  to  expound 
the  holy  scriptures,  or  to  preach,  before  they  be  first  law 
fully  called  and  authorised  in  that  behalf. 

God  save  the  king. 


REASONS  WHY  THE  LORD'S  BOARD  SHOULD  RATHER  BE 
AFTER  THE  FORM  OF  A  TABLE,  THAN  OF  AN  ALTAR. 


("I  AM  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel,  because  it  is  the  [Rom.i. ie.] 
power  of  God  unto  salvation,  to  every  one  that  believeth." 

Certain  reasons  why  the  reverend  father,  Nicholas,  bishop 
of  London,  amongst  other  his  injunctions  given  in  his  late 
visitation,  did  exhort  those  churches  in  his  diocese,  where 
the  altars,  as  then,  did  remain,  to  conform  themselves  to 
those  other  churches  which  had  taken  them  down,  and  had 
set  up,  instead  of  the  multitude  of  their  altars,  one  decent 
table  in  every  church.  And  that  herein  he  did  not  only 
not  any  thing  contrary  unto  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
or  to  the  king's  majesty's  proceedings2,  but  that  he  was  in 
duced  to  do  the  same,  partly  moved  by  his  office  and  duty, 
wherewith  he  is  charged  in  the  same  book,  and  partly  for 
the  advancement  and  sincere  setting  forward  of  God's*  holy 
word,  and  the  king's  majesty's  most  godly  proceedings3). 

P  Fox,  Acts  and  Monuments,  Edition  1563,  p.  727.    ED  1 
[:1  See  Appendix  VI.] 

[RIDLEY,] 


322   REASONS  FOR  ALTERING  THE  FORM  OF  THE  TABLE. 


First  Reason. 

The  form  of  a  table  shall  more  move  the  simple  from 
the  superstitious  opinions  of  the  popish  mass,  unto  the  right 
use  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  For  the  use  of  an  altar  is  to 
make  sacrifice  upon  it;  the  use  of  a  table  is  to  serve  for 
men  to  eat  upon.  Now,  when  we  come  unto  the  Lord's 
board,  what  do  we  come  for?  to  sacrifice  Christ  again,  and 
to  crucify  him  again,  or  to  feed  upon  him  that  was  once 
only  crucified  and  offered  up  for  us?  If  we  come  to  feed 
upon  him,  spiritually  to  eat  his  body,  and  spiritually  to 
drink  his  blood  (which  is  the  true  use  of  the  Lord's  Sup 
per),  then  no  man  can  deny  but  the  form  of  a  table  is 
more  meet  for  the  Lord's  board,  than  the  form  of  an  altar. 

Second  Reason. 
Answer  to          Whereas   it   is   said,    'The   Book   of   Common    Prayer 

certain  ca-  '  .      .  ,  , 

viiiers  who   maketh  mention  of  an  altar  ;   wherefore  it  is  not  lawful  to 

take  hold  of 

<aitar™n  a^°^s^  &**  which  the  book  alloweth:'  to  this  it  is  thus 
^e  king's  answered:  The  Book  of  Common  Prayer  calleth  the  thing 
HOW  the  whereupon  the  Lord's  Supper  is  ministered  indifferently  a 


,  an  altar,  or  the  Lord's  board;  without  prescription  of 
any  form  thereof,  either  of  a  table  or  of  an  altar:  so  that 
whether  the  Lord's  board  have  the  form  of  an  altar,  or  of 
a  table,  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  calleth  it  both  an 
altar  and  a  table.  For  as  it  calleth  it  an  altar,  whereupon 
the  Lord's  Supper  is  ministered,  a  table,  and  the  Lord's 
board,  so  it  calleth  the  table,  where  the  holy  communion 
is  distributed  with  lauds  and  thanksgiving  unto  the  Lord, 
an  altar,  for  that  there  is  offered  the  same  sacrifice  of 
praise  and  thanksgiving.  And  thus  it  appeareth,  that  here 
is  nothing  either  said  or  meant  contrary  to  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer. 

Third  Reason. 

The  popish  opinion  of  mass  was,  that  it  might  not  be 
celebrated  but  upon  an  altar,  or  at  the  least  upon  a  super- 
altar,  to  supply  the  fault  of  the  altar,  which  must  have  had 
its  prints  and  characters;  or  else  it  was  thought  that  the 
thing  was  not  lawfully  done.  But  this  superstitious  opinion 


REASONS    FOR    ALTERING    THE    FORM    OF    THE    TABLE.         323 

is  more  holden   in  the  minds  of  the   simple  and   ignorant  This  reason 
by  the  form  of  an  altar,  than  of  a  table ;    wherefore  it  is  away  the 
more  meet,  for  the  abolishment  of  this  superstitious  opinion,  tious 
to  have  the  Lord's  board  after  the  form   of  a  table,  than  serveth  also 

as  well  for 

of  an  altar.  abolishing 

other  things 
besides 

Fourth  Eeason.  altars,  &c. 

The  form  of  an  altar  was  ordained  for  the  sacrifices  of  the  The  name  of 
law,  and  therefore  the  altar  in  Greek  is  called  OvaiaarrfpLov,  how  der'i- 
quasi    sacrificii    locus.     But    now    both    the    law    and    the 
sacrifices  thereof  do  cease:  wherefore  the  form  of  the  altar 
used  in  the  altar  ought  to  cease  withal. 

Fifth  Eeason. 
Christ  did  institute  the  sacrament  of  his  body  and  blood  cj"st  used 

»  a  table,  and 

at  his  last  supper  at  a  table,  and  not  at  an  altar ;    as   it not  an  altar- 

appeareth    manifestly    by    the    three    Evangelists.     And    St 

Paul  calleth  the  coming  to  the  holy  communion,  the  coming 

unto  the  Lord's  Supper.     And  also  it  is  not  read  that  any  The  altar 

*   never  used 

of   the   apostles  or  the   primitive   church   did   ever  use  any  among:  the 

.        l  .    .  J  apostles. 

altar  in  ministration  of  the  holy  communion. 

Wherefore,  seeing  the  form  of  a  table  is  more  agree 
able  to  Christ's  institution,  and  with  the  usage  of  the 
apostles  and  of  the  primitive  church,  than  the  form  of  an 
altar,  therefore  the  form  of  a  table  is  rather  to  be  used, 
than  the  form  of  an  altar,  in  the  administration  of  the 
holy  communion. 

Sixth  and  last  reason. 

It  is  said  in  the  preface  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
that  if  any  doubt  do  arise  in  the  use  and  practising  of  the 
same  book,  to  appease  all  such  diversity,  the  matter  shall 
be  referred  unto  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  who  by  his  dis 
cretion  shall  take  order  for  the  quieting  and  appeasing  of 
the  same,  so  that  the  same  order  be  not  contrary  unto 
any  thing  contained  in  that  book. 

(After  these  letters  and  reasons  received,  the  fore-named 
Nicholas  Eidley,  bishop  of  London,  consequently  upon  the 


324        REASONS    FOR    ALTERING    THE    FORM    OF    THE    TABLE. 

same   did   hold   his  visitation,   wherein,   amongst   other  his 
injunctions,  the  said  bishop  exhorted  those  churches  in  his 
diocese,  where  the  altars  did  then  remain,  to  conform  them 
selves   unto   those   other   churches   which   had   taken   them 
down,   and  had  set  up,   instead  of  the  multitude   of  their 
Ri?ntedafn    a^ars'  one  decent  table  in  every  church.      Upon  the  ocea- 
theri°htse   s^on  wnere°f  nere  arose  a  great  diversity  about  the  form  of 
tXofa     ^ie  Cord's  board,  some  using  it  after  the  form  of  a  table, 
and  some  of  an  altar.     Wherein  when  the  said  bishop  was 
required  to  say  and  determine  what  was  most  meet,  he  de 
clared  he   could  do  no  less  of  his  bounden  duty,  for  the 
appeasing  of  such  diversity,  and  to  procure  one  godly  uni 
formity,  but  to  exhort  all   his  diocese  unto  that  which  he 
thought  did  best  agree  with  the  Scripture,  with  the  usage 
of  the  apostles,  and  with  the  primitive  church,  and  to  that 
which  is  not  only  not  contrary  unto  any  thing  contained  in 
the   Book   of  Common   Prayer   (as  is  before  proved),   but 
also  might  highly  further  the  king's  most  godly  proceedings 
in  abolishing  of  divers  vain  and  superstitious  opinions  of  the 
popish  mass  out  of  the  hearts  of  the  simple,  and  to  bring 
them  to   the  right  use,   taught  by  holy   Scripture,   of  the 
theewailby  Cord's  supper.     And  so  appointed  he  the  form  of  a  right 
Paul's1  St    ta^e  to  be  used  in  his  diocese,  and  in  the  church  of  Paul 
do^nby      brake  down  the  wall  standing  then  by  the  high  altar's  side. 

Ridley. 


LETTERS 


OP 


BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

REPRINTED   FROM 

COVERDALE'S  "LETTERS  OF  THE  MARTYRS";  THE  WORKS 

OF  STRYPE;    BURNET'S  "HISTORY  OF   THE  RE- 

FORMATION";    THE  "ACTS  AND 

MONUMENTS  OF  FOXE",» 

TOGETHER   WITH    OTHERS    FROM 

THE  HARLEIAN  COLLECTION  OF  MSS.  IN  THE  BRITISH 

MUSEUM,  AND  THE  MSS.  IN  THE  LIBRARY  OF 

EMMANUEL  COLLEGE,  CAMBRIDGE. 


LETTERS    OF    DOCTOR    RIDLEY, 

LATE    BISHOP   OF    LONDON: 

WHO,  AFTER  LONG  IMPRISONMENT,  WAS  SPITEFULLY  AND  CRUELLY 

MARTYRED  IN  OXFORD,  FOR  THE  CONSTANT  CONFESSION  OF 

GOD'S  TRUE  RELIGION ;  IN  THE  YEAR  OF  OUR  LORD 

GOD,  1555,  THE  SIXTEENTH  DAY  OF  OCTOBER. 


LETTER  I.    (BURNET.) 

To  the  protector1,  concerning  the  visitation  of  the  University 
of  Cambridge. 

Right  honourable, 

I  WISH  your  grace  the  holy  and  wholesome  fear  of  God, 
because  I  am  persuaded  your  grace's  goodness  to  be  such 
unfeignedly,  that  even  wherein  your  grace's  letters  doth  sore 
blame  me,  yet  in  the  same  the  advertisement  of  the  truth 
shall  not  displease  your  grace;  and  also  perceiving  that  the 
cause  of  your  grace's  discontentation  was  wrong  information, 
therefore  I  shall  beseech  your  grace  to  give  me  leave  to  shew 
your  grace,  wherein  it  appeareth  to  me  that  your  grace  is 
wrong  informed. 

Your  grace's  letters  blameth  me,  because  I  did  not  (at 
the  first,  before  the  visitation  began,  having  knowledge  of 
the  matter)  shew  my  mind.  The  truth  is,  before  God,  I  never 
had,  nor  could  get  any  fore-knowledge  of  the  matter,  of  the 
uniting  of  the  two  colleges2,  before  we  had  begun,  and  had 

[x  Edward  Duke  of  Somerset.     ED.] 

[2  These  two  Colleges  were  Clare  Hall,  of  which  Dr  Madew  was 
Master,  and  Trinity  Hall,  of  which  Stephen  Gardiner  was  Master. 
It  was  intended  to  unite  these  two,  and  to  form  out  of  them  one 
college  of  civilians.  Clare  Hall,  however,  refused  to  submit;  and  as 
it  was  then  full  of  Northern  men,  Ridley,  who  supported  their  refusal, 
was  thought  to  have  been  induced  to  take  this  step  by  his  partiality 
for  his  own  countrymen.  This  visitation  took  place  in  May,  1549,  at 
which  time  Robert  Rugge  was  Chancellor.  ED.] 


328  LETTERS  OF  BISHOP  RIDLEY. 

entered  two  days  in  the  visitation ;  and  that  your  grace  may 
plainly  thus  well  perceive. 

A  little  before  Easter  I,  being  at  Rochester,  received 
letters  from  Mr  Secretary  Smith  and  the  Dean  of  Paul's,  to 
come  to  the  visitation  of  the  University,  and  to  make  a  sermon 
at  the  beginning  thereof;  whereupon  I  sent  immediately  a 
servant  up  to  London  to  the  Dean  of  Paul's,  desiring  of  him 
to  have  had  some  knowledge  of  things  there  to  be  done, 
because  I  thought  it  meet  that  my  sermon  should  somewhat 
have  savoured  of  the  same. 

From  Mr  Dean  I  received  a  letter,  instructing  me  only, 
that  the  cause  of  the  visitation  was,  to  abolish  statutes  and 
ordinances,  which  maintained  papistry,  superstition,  blindness 
and  ignorance ;  and  to  establish  and  set  forth,  such  as  might 
further  God's  word  and  good  learning;  and  else,  the  truth 
is,  he  would  shew  me  nothing,  but  bade  me  be  careless,  and 
said,  there  were  informations  [instructions]  how  all  things 
were  for  to  be  done;  the  which,  I  take  God  to  witness,  I 
did  never  see,  nor  could  get  knowledge  what  they  were, 
before  we  were  entered  in  the  visitation  two  days,  although 
I  desired  to  have  seen  them  in  the  beginning. 

Now,  when  I  had  seen  the  instructions,  the  truth  is,  I 
thought,  peradventure,  the  master  and  company  would  have 
surrendered  up  their  college ;  but  when  their  consent,  after 
labour  and  travail  taken  therein  two  days,  could  not  be  ob 
tained,  and  then  we  began  secretly  to  consult  (all  the  com 
missioners  thinking  it  best  that  every  man  should  say  his 
mind  plainly,  that  in  execution  there  might  appear  but  one 
, i.e.  wav  to  be  taken  of  all)  there  when  it  was  seen  toa  some,  that 

thought  by.         *  '  m  \ 

without  the  consent  of  the  present  incumbents,  by  the  king  s 
absolute  power,  we  might  proceed  to  the  uniting  of  the  two 
colleges,  I  did  in  my  course  simply  and  plainly  declare  my 
conscience,  and  that  there  only,  secretly,  among  ourselves 
alone,  with  all  kind  of  softness,  so  that  no  man  could  be 
justly  offended.  Also  I  perceive,  by  your  grace's  letters, 
I  have  been  noted  of  some  for  my  barking  there;  and  yet 
to  bark,  lest  God  should  be  offended,  I  cannot  deny,  but 
indeed  it  is  a  part  of  my  profession;  for  God's  word  con- 
demneth  the  dumb  dogs  that  will  not  bark  and  give  warning 
of  God's  displeasure. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  329 

As  for  that  that  was  suggested  to  your  grace,  that  by 
my  aforesaid  barking  I  should  dishonour  the  king's  majesty, 
and  dissuade  others  from  the  execution  of  the  king's  com 
mission,  God  is  my  judge,  I  intended,  according  to  my  duty 
to  God  and  the  king,  the  maintenance  and  defence  of  his 
highness'  royal  honour  and  dignity.  If  that  be  true,  that  I 
believe  is  true,  which  the  prophet  saith,  Honor  regis  judiciwm 
diligit;  and  as  the  commissioners  must  needs,  and  I  am 
sure  will  all  testify,  that  I  dissuaded  no  man,  but  contrariwise 
exhorted  every  man  (with  the  quiet  of  other)  to  satisfy  their 
own  conscience;  desiring  only,  that  if  it  should  otherwise 
be  seen  unto  them,  that  I  might,  either  by  my  absence  or 
silence,  satisfy  mine.  The  which  my  plainness  when  some 
otherwise  than  according  to  my  expectation  did  take,  I  was 
moved  thereupon  (both  for  the  good  opinion  I  had,  and  yet 
have,  of  your  grace's  goodness,  and  also  specially  because 
your  grace  had  commanded  me  so  to  do)  to  open  my  mind, 
by  my  private  letters,  freely  unto  your  grace. 

And  thus  I  trust  your  grace  perceiveth  now,  both  that 
anon,  after  knowledge  had,  I  did  utter  my  conscience;  and 
also  that  the  matter  was  not  opened  unto  me  before  the  visit 
ation  was  two  days  begun. 

If  in  this  I  did  amiss,  that  before  the  knowledge  of  the 
instructions  I  was  ready  to  grant  to  the  execution  of  the 
commission;  truly  I  had  rather  herein  acknowledge  my 
fault,  and  submit  myself  to  your  grace's  correction,  than 
after  knowledge  had,  then  wittingly  and  willingly  commit 
that  thing  whereunto  my  conscience  doth  not  agree,  for 
fear  of  God's  displeasure. 

It  is  a  godly  wish  that  is  wished  in  your  grace's  letters, 
that  flesh,  and  blood,  and  country,  might  not  more  weigh 
with  some  men  than  godliness  and  reason ;  but  the  truth  is, 
country  in  this  matter,  whatsoever  some  men  do  suggest  unto 
your  grace,  shall  not  move  me;  and  that  your  grace  shall 
well  perceive,  for  I  shall  be  as  ready,  as  any  other,  first 
thence  to  expel  some  of  my  own  country,  if  the  report  which 
is  made  of  them  can  be  tried  true. 

And  as  for  that  your  grace  saith  of  flesh  and  blood,  that 
is,  the  favour  or  fear  of  mortal  man :  yea,  marry,  sir,  that 
is  a  matter  of  weight  indeed,  and  the  truth  is,  (alas,  my  own 


330  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

feebleness !)  of  that  I  am  afraid.  But  I  beseech  your  grace, 
yet  once  again,  give  me  good  leave,  wherein  here  I  fear  my 
own  frailty,  to  confess  the  truth.  Before  God,  there  is  no 
man  this  day,  (leaving  the  king's  majesty  for  the  honour 
only  excepted)  whose  favour  or  displeasure  I  do  either  seek 
or  fear,  as  your  grace's  favour  or  displeasure ;  for  under 
God,  both  your  grace's  authority,  and  my  bounden  duty 
for  your  grace's  benefits,  bind  me  so  to  do.  So  that  if 
the  desire  of  any  man's  favour,  or  fear  of  displeasure,  should 
weigh  more  with  me  than  godliness  and  reason;  truly,  (if  I 
may  be  bold  to  say  the  truth),  I  must  needs  say,  that  I 
am  most  in  danger  to  offend  herein,  either  for  desire  of  your 
grace's  favour,  or  for  fear  of  your  grace's  displeasure.  And 
yet  I  shall  not  cease  (God  willing)  daily  to  pray  God  so  to 
stay  and  strengthen  my  frailty  with  holy  fear,  that  I  do  not 
commit  the  thing  for  favour  or  fear  of  any  mortal  man, 
whereby  my  conscience  may  threaten  me  with  the  loss  of 
the  favour  of  the  living  God,  but  that  it  may  please  him, 
of  his  gracious  goodness,  (howsoever  the  world  goes)  to  blow 
this  in  the  ears  of  my  heart,  Deus  dissipamt  ossa  eorum 
qui  Jiominibus  placuerint1 ;  and  this,  Horrendum  est  incidere 
in  inanus  Dei  viventis2 ;  and  again,  Nolite  timere  eos  qui  occi- 
dunt  corpus*. 

Wherefore  I  most  humbly  beseech  your  grace,  for  God's 
love,  not  to  be  offended  with  me,  for  renewing  of  this  my 
suit  unto  your  grace,  which  is  that,  whereunto  my  conscience 
cannot  well  agree,  if  any  such  thing  chance  in  this  visitation, 
I  may,  with  your  grace's  favour,  have  license,  either  by  mine 
absence  or  silence,  or  other  like  means,  to  keep  my  conscience 
quiet.  I  wish  your  grace,  in  God,  honour  and  endless  fe 
licity.  From  Pembroke  Hall  in  Cambridge,  June  1,  15494. 
Your  grace's  humble  and  daily  orator, 

NICH.  ROFFEN. 

[1  God  hath  scattered  the  bones  of  those  who  pleased  men.    ED.] 
[2  It  is  a  horrible  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God. 
ED.] 

[3  Fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body.    ED.] 

[4  The  Protector's  reply  to  this  letter  will  be  found,  Appendix  V.] 


LETTERS    OF     BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


331 


LETTER  II.    (BURNET.) 

A  Letter  of  that  true  Pastor  and  worthy  Martyr,  DOCTOR 
RIDLEY  ;  wherein  you  may  see  the  singular  zeal  lie  had 
to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  furtherance  of  his  Gospel. 
Written  to  MASTER  CHEKE,  in  King  Edward's  days. 

MASTER  CHEKE,  I  wish  you  grace  and  peace.  Sir,  in 
God's  cause,  for  God's  sake,  and  in  his  name,  I  beseech  you 
of  your  help  and  furtherance  towards  God's  word.  I  did  talk 
with  you  of  late,  what  case  I  was  in  concerning  my  chap 
lains.  I  have  gotten  the  good  will  and  grant a  (to  be  with a  consent- 
me),  of  three  preachers,  men  of  good  learning,  and,  as  I  am 
persuaded,  of  excellent  virtue ;  which  are  able,  both  with  life 
and  learning,  to  set  forth  God's  word  in  London,  and  in  the 
whole  diocese  of  the  same,  where  is  most  need  of  all  parts 
in  England;  for  from  thence  goeth  example,  as  you  know, 
into  all  the  rest  of  the  king's  majesty's  whole  realm.  The 
men's  names  be  these.  Master  Grindall,  whom  you  know  to 
be  a  man  of  virtue  and  learning.  Master  Bradford,  a  man 
by  whom  (as  I  am  assuredly  informed)  God  hath  and  doth 
work  wonders,  in  setting  forth  of  his  word.  The  third  is  a 
preacher,  the  which,  for  detecting  and  confuting  of  the  ana- 
bapists  and  papists  in  Essex,  both  by  his  preaching  and  by 
his  writing,  is  enforced  now  to  bear  Christ's  cross.  The  two 
first  be  scholars  in  the  university.  The  third  is  as  poor  as 
either  of  the  other  twain.  Now  there  is  fallen  a  prebend 
in  Paul's  called  Cantrells5,  by  the  death  of  one  Lay  ton.  This 

(j5  The  Prebendary  of  Kentish-Town,  Kentissetune,  or  Cantlers,  and 
sometime  Kentillers,  alias  Kentish-Town,  hath  the  Tenth  Stall  on  the 
right  side  of  the  choir ;  and  the  corps  of  his  prebend  lies  in  the  parish 
of  St  Pancras,  Middlesex. 

Grindall  does  not  appear  from  the  list  of  prebendaries  to  have 
succeeded;  for  Richard  Layton  was  appointed  on  the  resignation  of 
W.  Kemp,  May  0,  1523;  William  Layton  was  appointed  on  the  death 
of  Richard  Layton,  Oct.  17, 1544 ;  and  John  Bradford  (the  martyr)  was 
appointed  on  the  death  of  Richard  Layton  by  Bishop  Ridley,  Aug. 
24, 1551 ;  and  he  was  succeeded  after  his  martyrdom  by  John  Fecken- 
ham,  Jan.  25,  1553. 

Edmund  Grindall  was  appointed  Prcecmtor  of  St  Paul's  by  Bishop 
Ridley,  Aug.  24, 1551,  which  he  resigned  in  1554. 

John  Rogers  was  made  Prebendary  of  St  Pancras,  Aug.  24,  1551  ; 
burnt  Feb,  4,  1555.  See  Newcourt's  Repertorium  of  the  Diocese  of 


S3 2  LETTERS    OF    IlISHOP    RIDLEY. 

prebend  is  an  honest  man's  living,  of  thirty-four  pounds  and 
better  in  the  king's  books.  I  would  with  all  my  heart  give 
it  unto  Master  Grindall;  and  so  I  should  have  him  continu 
ally  with  me,  and  in  my  diocese,  to  preach. 

*  hindered.  But  alas,  sir,  I  am  lettedb  by  the  means  (I  fear  me)  of 
such  as  do  not  fear  God.  One  Master  William  Thomas, 
one  of  the  clerks  to  the  council,  hath  in  times  past  set  the 
council  upon  me,  to  have  me  to  grant  that  Layton  might 
have  alienated  the  said  prebend  unto  him  and  his  heirs  for 
ever.  God  was  mine  aid  and  defender,  that  I  did  not  con 
sent  unto  his  ungodly  enterprise.  Yet  I  was  so  then  handled 
before  the  council,  that  I  granted  that  whensoever  it  should 
fall,  I  should  not  give  it,  before  I  should  make  the  king's 

zancegac-     majesty  privy  unto  it  and  of  acknowledge0,  before  the  col- 

quainted.  Iati0n  of  it.  Now  Layton  is  departed,  and  the  prebend  is 
fallen,  and  certain  of  the  council  (no  doubt,  by  this  ungodly 
man's  means,)  have  written  unto  me  to  stay  the  collation. 
And  whereas  he  despaireth  that  ever  I  would  assent  that  a 
preacher's  living  should  be  bestowed  on  him,  he  hath  pro 
cured  letters  unto  me,  subscribed  with  certain  of  the  council's 
hands,  that  now  the  king's  majesty  hath  determined  it  unto 

"mainte-  the  furniture d  of  his  highness'  stable.  Alas,  sir,  this  is  a 
heavy  hearing.  When  papistry  was  taught,  there  was  nothing 
too  little  for  the  teachers.  When  the  bishop  gave  his  bene 
fices  unto  idiots,  unlearned,  ungodly,  for  kindred,  for  pleasure, 
for  service,  and  other  worldly  respects,  all  was  then  well 
allowed.  Now,  where  a  poor  living  is  to  be  given  unto  an 
excellent  clerk,  a  man  known  and  tried  to  have  both  dis 
cretion  and  also  virtue,  and  such  a  one  as,  before  God,  I  do 
not  know  a  man  (yet  unplaced  and  unprovided  for)  more  meet, 
to  set  forth  God's  word  in  all  England ;  when  a  poor  living 
(I  say),  which  is  founded  for  a  preacher,  is  to  be  given  unto 
such  a  man,  that  then  an  ungodly  person  shall  procure  in 

•hinder,  this  sort  letters  to  stop  and  let6  the  same,  alas,  Master  Cheke, 
this  seemeth  unto  me  to  be  a  right  heavy  hearing.  Is  this 
the  fruit  of  the  Gospel?  Speak,  Master  Cheke,  speak,  for 
God's  sake,  in  God's  cause,  unto  whomsoever  you  think  may 
do  any  good  withal.  And  if  you  will  not  speak,  then  I  be- 

London,  vol.  i.  pp.  27, 101, 169, 196.  Grindall  was  made  a  Prebendary 
of  Westminster  in  July,  1552.  ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  333 

seech  you,  let  these  my  letters  speak  unto  Master  Gates,  to 
Master  Wroth,  to  Master  Cecil,  whom  all  I  do  take  for  men 
that  do  fear  God. 

It  was  said  here  constantly  my  Lord  Chamberlain  to  have 
been  departed.  Sir,  though  the  day  be  delayed,  yet  he  hath 
no  pardon  of  long  life :  and  therefore  I  do  beseech  his  good 
lordship,  and  so  many  as  shall  read  these  letters,  if  they  fear 
God,  to  help  that  neither  horse,  neither  yet  dog,  be  suffered 
to  devour  the  poor  livings  appointed  and  founded  by  godly 
ordinance  to  the  ministers  of  God's  word.  The  causes  of 
conscience,  which  do  move  me  to  speak  and  write  thus,  are 
not  only  those  which  I  declared  once  in  the  cause  of  this 
prebend  before  the  king's  majesty's  council,  which  now  I  let 
pass ;  but  also  now  the  man  Master  Grindall,  unto  whom  I 
would  give  this  prebend,  doth  move  me  very  much;  for  he 
is  a  man  known  to  be  both  of  virtue,  honesty,  discretion, 
wisdom,  and  learning.  And  besides  all  this,  I  have  a  better 
opinion  of  the  king's  majesty's  honourable  council,  than  (al 
though  some  of  them  have  subscribed,  at  this  their  clerk's 
crafty  and  ungodly  suit,  to  such  a  letter)  than,  I  say,  they 
will  letf,  and  not  suffer,  after  request  made  unto  them,  the/hinder- 
living  appointed  and  founded  for  a  preacher,  to  be  bestowed 
upon  so  honest  and  well  a  learned  man. 

Wherefore  for  God's  sake,  I  beseech  you  all,  help  that, 
with  the  favour  of  the  council,  I  may  have  knowledge  of 
the  king's  majesty's  good  pleasure,  to  give  this  preacher's 
living  unto  Master  Grindall.  Of  late  there  have  been  letters 
directed  from  the  king's  majesty  and  his  honourable  council 
unto  all  the  bishops,  whereby  we  be  charged  and  commanded, 
both  in  our  own  persons,  and  also  to  cause  our  preachers 
and  ministers,  especially  to  cry  out  against  the  insatiable 
serpent  of  covetousness,  whereby  is  said  to  be  such  a  greedi 
ness  amongst  the  people,  that  each  one  goeth  about  to  devour 
other;  and  to  threaten  them  with  God's  grievous  plagues, 
both  now  presently  thrown  upon  them,  and  that  shall  be 
likewise  in  the  world  to  come.  Sir,  what  preachers  shall  I 
get  to  open  and  set  forth  such  matters,  and  so  as  the  king's 
majesty  and  the  council  do  command  them  to  be  set  forth, 
if  either  ungodly  men,  or  unreasonable  beasts,  be  suffered  to 
pull  away  and  devour  the  good  and  godly  learned  preachers' 


334«  LETTERS  OF  BISHOP  RIDLEY. 

livings?  Thus  I  wish  yon,  in  God,  ever  well  to  face  and  to 
help  Christ's  cause,  as  you  would  have  help  of  him  at  your 
most  need. 

From  Fulham  this  present,  the  23rd  of  July,  1551. 

Yours  in  Christ, 

NICHOLAS  LONDON. 


LETTER  III.    (BURNET.) 

A  Letter  icritten  fy  BISHOP  RIDLEY  to  Ms  well-beloved  the 
Preachers  within  the  Diocese  of  London  setting  forth  tlie 
sins  of  those  times. 

AFTER  hearty  commendations, — having  regard1,  especially 
at  this  time,  to  the  wrath  of  God,  who  hath  plagued  us 
diversely,  and  now  with  extreme  punishment  of  sudden  death 
poured  upon  us,  for  causes  best  known  unto  his  high  and 
secret  judgment ;  but  as  it  may  seem  unto  man,  for  our  wicked 
living  which  daily  increases,  so  that  not  only  in  our  conver 
sations  the  fear  of  God  is,  alas !  far  gone  from  before  our 
eyes,  but  also  the  world  is  grown  into  that  uncharitableness, 
that  one,  as  it  appears  plainly,  goes  about  to  devour  ano 
ther,  moved  with  insatiable  covetousness,  and  contrary  to 
God's  word  and  will,  and  to  the  extreme  peril  and  damna 
tion  of  Christ's  flock,  bought  so  dearly  with  his  precious 
blood,  and  to  the  utter  destruction  of  this  whole  common 
wealth,  except  God's  anger  be  shortly  appeased.  Wherein, 
according  to  my  bounden  duty,  I  shall,  God  willing,  in  my 
own  person,  be  diligent  and  labour ;  and  I  also  exhort  and 
require  you,  first  in  God's  name,  and  by  authority  of  him 
committed  unto  me  in  that  behalf,  and  also  in  the  king's 
majesty's  name,  from  whom  I  have  authority  and  special 
commandment  thus  to  do — that  as  you  are  called  to  be  set 
ters  forth  of  God's  word,  and  to  express  the  same  in  your 
lives,  so  now  in  your  exhortations  and  sermons,  most  whole 
somely  and  earnestly,  tell  unto  men  their  sins,  with  God's 
punishments  lately  poured  upon  us  for  the  same,  now  before 
our  eyes ;  according  to  that  word,  "  Tell  unto  my  people 

Q1  These  words   "  having  regard"   seem  to  refer  to  the   "  letters" 
mentioned  in  the  preceding  letter. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  335 

their  wickednesses."  And  especially  beat  down  and  destroy, 
with  all  your  power  and  ability,  that  greedy  and  devouring 
serpent  of  covetousness,  which  now  so  universally  reigns, 
Call  upon  God  for  repentance,  and  excite  to  common  prayer 
and  amendment  of  life,  with  most  earnest  petitions,  that 
hereby  God's  hand  may  be  stayed,  the  world  amended,  and 
obedience  of  subjects  and  faithfulness  of  ministers  declared 
accordingly.  Thus  I  bid  you  heartily  well  to  fare. 
From  London,  July  25,  1551. 

Yours  in  Christ, 

NICHOLAS  LONDON. 


LETTER  IV.     (STRYPE.) 
BISHOP  EIDLEY  to  DOCTOR  PARKER. 

MR  DOCTOR,  I  wish  you  grace  and  peace.  Sir,  I  pray 
you  refuse  not  to  take  a  day  at  the  Cross2.  I  may  have,  if 
I  would  call  without  any  choice,  enow ;  but  in  some,  alas  I 
I  desire  more  learning,  in  some  a  better  judgment,  in  some 
more  virtue  and  godly  conversation,  and  in  some  more  sober 
ness  and  discretion;  and  he  in  whom  all  these  do  meet  shall 
not  do  well,  in  my  judgment,  to  refuse  to  serve  God  in  that 
place.  Of  which  number  because  I  take  you  to  be,  there 
fore,  (leaving  at  this  time  to  charge  you  with  answering  for 
the  contrary  to  the  king  and  his  council),  I  must  charge 
you  to  take  a  day  as  you  will  answer  the  contrary  to  Al 
mighty  God  at  your  own  peril.  If  the  day  be  thought  not 
commodious  for  you,  I  shall  appoint  another  for  it.  But  if 
I  should  discharge  you  from  that  place, — for  the  time  here 
after  in  good  faith  my  conscience  should  accuse  me,  and 
tell  me  that  I  did  rather  go  about  to  satisfy  your  request, 
(whom,  the  truth  is,  as  your  kindness  hath  bound  me,  I 
should  be  glad  to  gratify)  than  to  set  forth  God's  cause. 
Thus  fare  you  well,  from  my  house  in  London;  and  I  pray 
you  commend  me  to  Mrs  Parker,  whom  although  I  do  not 
know,  yet,  for  the  fame  of  her  virtue,  in  God  I  do  love. 

Yours  in  Christ, 

25  July,  1551.  NICHOLAS  LONDON, 

[2  Paul's  Cross.    ED.] 


00 6  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


LETTER  V. 

To  SIR  JOHN  GATE  and  SIR  W.  CECIL,  from  the  Lansdowne 
MS.  in  the  British  Museum. 

DR  RIDLEY,  Bishop  of  London,  to  SIR  JOHN  GATE,  Vice- 
Chamberlain,  and  SIR  W.  CECIL,  Secretary  io  Edw. 
VI.  for  their  interest  with  the  King,  that  he  might  haw 
the  nomination  of  the  Person  to  be  appointed  to  the 
Chantership  of  St  PauVs,  about  to  be  vacant  by  MR. 
GRIND  ALL'S  translation  to  a  Bishopric,  Nov.  IS,  1552. 

Right  Honourable, 

[The  pas-  ALTHOUGH,  if  I  would  believe  every  tale,  I  might  fear 

italics  hi     rather  that  ye  are  offended  with  me,  than  to  think  to  obtain 

this  letter  .  1-11  i  f»»i<» 

are  under-    any  pleasure  at  your  hands,  and  so  to  be  more  afraid  of  your 

lined  in  the    .. J  /  xl       J±      .  * 

original.  displeasure,  than  to  hope  to  speed  my  request ;  yet  neverthe 
less,  because  my  conscience  doth  bear  me  witness,  that  neither 
in  heart  nor  in  deed  /  have  given,  or  minded  to  give  either 
of  your  worships  just  occasion  to  be  offended  with  me,  nor 
(God  willing)  never  intend  to  do ;  therefore  I  will,  by  your 
leave,  be  bold  with  you,  in  God's  cause,  even  to  require  you, 
as  I  have  heretofore  been  wont  to  do ;  for  I  take  this  for  a 
true  saying :  frons  tenera  magna  conscientia  sustinetur.  It 
may  please  you  to  wit,  that  I  understand  by  the  constant 
rumour  which  is  now  spread  about  in  London,  that  Mr  Grin- 
dall  is  or  shall  be  named  to  be  a  Bishop  in  the  North  parts, 
of  whose  preferment  I  ensure  you  I  give  God  hearty  thanks, 
that  it  hath  pleased  God  to  move  the  heart  of  the  King's 
Majesty  to  choose  such  a  man  of  such  godly  qualities  unto 
such  a  room.  Now,  good  Mr  Vice-Chamberlain  and  Mr 
Secretary,  ye  know  both  how  I  did  bestow  of  late  three  or 
four  prebends,  which  did  fall  in  my  time,  and  what  manner 
of  men  they  be  unto  whom  I  gave  them,  Grindall,  Brad 
ford  and  Rogers,  men  known  to  be  so  necessary  to  be  abroad 
in  the  commonwealth,  that  I  can  keep  none  of  them  with  me 
in  my  house.  Ye  know,  I  am  placed,  where  /  have  daily 
need  of  learned  men's  counsel  and  conference:  wherefore  I 
beseech  you  for  God's  sake,  be  so  good  unto  this  See  of  Lon 
don,  which  is  the  Spectacle  of  all  England,  as  to  be  petitioners 
for  me  in  God's  cause  unto  the  King's  Majesty,  that  seeing 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


337 


his  highness  doth  perceive,  that  I  did  so  well  bestow  the  Pre 
bend,  which  Mr  Grindall  hath  of  my  collation,  it  may  please 
the  same  to  grant  me  of  his  gracious  clemency  the  collation 
of  the  same  again,  that  I  may  therewith  call  some  other  like 
learned  man,  whom  hereafter  by  God's  grace  his  highness 
shall  think  meet  likewise  to  promote,  as  Mr  Grindall  is 
now.  If  ye  would  know,  unto  whom  I  would  this  dignity  of 
our  church,  called  the  chantership,  should  be  given,  surely 
unto  any  one  of  these,  either  unto  Mr  Bradford,  whom  in  my 
conscience  I  judge  more  worthy  to  be  a  Bishop,  than  many 
[a  one]  of  us  that  be  Bishops  already,  to  be  a  parish  priest ; 
or  unto  Mr  Sampson,  a  preacher;  or  unto  Mr  Harvey,  a 
divine  and  preacher;  or  unto  Mr  Grimbold,  a  preacher;  or 
unto  Dr  Lancelot  Eidley,  a  preacher:  if  it  would  please 
your  goodness  to  be  suitors  for  me,  (nay,  not  for  me,  but  for 
God's  word's  sake),  unto  the  King's  Majesty,  that  the  colla 
tion  may  be  given  unto  me  for  one  of  these,  or  any  one  of 
these,  then  I  shall  surely  praise  God  in  you,  and  think  myself 
ever  bound  to  render  unto  Almighty  God  for  you  entire  and 
hearty  thanks.  Thus  I  wish  you  both,  in  God,  well  to  fare. 
From  my  house  in  London,  this  18th  day  of  November,  1552. 

Yours  in  Christ, 

NIC.  LONDON. 


LETTER    VI.       (COVERDALE.) 

An  Anstver  to  a  Letter  written  unto  Mm  ly  WEST,  sometime 
his  Chaplain1. 

I  WISH  your  grace  in  God,  and  love  of  the  truth ;  without 
the  which  truly  established  in  men's  hearts  by  the  mighty 

E1  West  had  been  chaplain  to  Bishop  Ridley,  but  turned  to  popery 
in  Queen  Mary's  reign,  and,  in  the  beginning  of  April  1555,  he  wrote 
to  the  bishop,  earnestly  and  affectionately  persuading  him  to  consider 
the  danger  he  was  in,  and  exhorting  him  not  "to  stand  against  learning, 
or  in  vain  glory,"  but  to  return  to  the  church  of  Rome,  for  "he  must 
either  agree  or  die."  This  letter  was  written  in  answer :  but  though 
West  was  convinced  by  it  he  had  done  wrong,  he  wanted  courage  to 
renounce  his  preferments  and  the  world.  For  some  further  particulars 
of  West,  see  the  letter  of  Ridley  in  reply  to  that  of  Grindall,  dated  from 
Frankfort,  G  May,  1555.  ED.] 

22 

[RIDLEY.] 


S3 8  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

hand  of  Almighty  God,  it  is  no  more  possible  to  stand  by 
the  truth  in  Christ  in  time  of  trouble,  than  it  is  for  the  wax 
to  abide  the  heat  of  the  fire.  Sir,  know  you  this,  that  I  am 
(blessed  be  God !)  persuaded  that  this  world  is  but  transitory, 

i  John  ii.     and  (as  St  John  saith)  "  the  world  passeth  away  and  the  lust 

Matt.  x.  thereof."  I  am  persuaded  Christ's  words  to  be  true — "  Who 
soever  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess  also 
before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven;"  and  I  believe  that 
no  earthly  creature  shall  be  saved,  whom  the  Redeemer  and 
Saviour  of  the  world  shall  before  his  Father  deny.  This  the 
Lord  grant  that  it  may  be  so  grafted,  established,  and  fixed 
in  my  heart,  that  neither  things  present  nor  to  come,  high 
nor  low,  life  nor  death,  be  able  to  remove  me  thence !  It  is 
a  goodly  wish  that  you  wish  me,  deeply  to  consider  things 
pertaining  unto  God's  glory :  but  if  you  had  wished  also  that 
neither  fear  of  death,  nor  hope  of  worldly  prosperity,  should 

-hinder.  \e^  me  ^Q  mamtain  God's  word  and  his  truth,  which  is  his 
glory  and  true  honour,  it  would  have  liked  me  well.  You 
desire  me,  for  God's  sake,  to  remember  myself.  Indeed,  Sir, 
now  it  is  time  so  to  do ;  for  so  far  as  I  can  perceive,  it 
standeth  me  upon  no  less  danger  than  of  the  loss  both  of 
body  and  soul;  and,  I  trow,  then  it  is  time  for  a  man  to 

Lukexii.  awake,  if  any  thing  will  awake  him.  He  that  will  not  fear 
him  that  threateneth  to  cast  both  body  and  soul  into  ever 
lasting  fire,  whom  will  he  fear?  With  this  fear,  0  Lord, 
fasten  thou  together  our  frail  flesh,  that  we  never  swerve  from 
thy  laws.  You  say  you  have  made  much  suit  for  me.  Sir, 
God  grant  that  you  have  not  in  sueing  for  my  worldly  deli 
verance  impaired  and  hindered  the  furtherance  of  God's  word 
and  his  truth.  You  have  known  me  long  indeed,  in  the 
which  time  it  hath  chanced  me  (as  you  say)  to  mislike  some 
things.  It  is  true,  I  grant :  for  sudden  changes  without  sub 
stantial  and  necessary  cause,  and  the  heady  setting  forth  of 
extremities,  I  did  never  love.  Confession  unto  the  minister 
which  is  able  to  instruct,  correct,  comfort,  and  inform  the 
weak,  wounded,  and  ignorant  conscience,  indeed  I  ever  thought 
might  do  much  good  in  Christ's  congregation,  and  so,  I  as 
sure  you,  I  think  even  at  this  day.  My  doctrine  and  my 
preaching,  you  say,  you  have  heard  often,  and  after  your 
judgment  have  thought  it  godly,  saving  only  for  the  sacra- 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY  *  339 

ment ;  which  thing  although  it  was  of  me  reverently  handled, 
and  a  great  deal  better  than  of  the  rest  (as  you  say),  yet  in 
the  margin  you  write  warily,  and  in  this  world  wisely — "and 
yet  methought  all  sounded  not  well."  Sir,  but  that  I  see  so 
many  changes  in  this  world  and  so  much  alteration,  else  at 
this  your  saying  I  would  not  a  little  marvel.  I  have  taken 
you  for  my  friend,  and  a  man  whom  I  fancied  for  plainness 
and  faithfulness,  as  much  (I  assure  you)  as  for  your  learn 
ing:  and  have  you  kept  this  so  close  in  your  heart  from 
me  unto  this  day?  Sir,  I  consider  more  things  than  one, 
and  will  not  say  ah1  that  I  think.  But  what  need  you  to 
care  what  I  think,  for  any  thing  that  I  shall  be  able  to 
do  unto  you,  either  good  or  harm?  You  give  me  good 
lessons,  to  stand  in  nothing  against  my  learning1,  and  to 
beware  of  vain-glory.  Truly,  Sir,  I  herein  like  your  counsel 
very  well,  and  by  God's  grace  I  intend  to  follow  it  unto  my 
life's  end. 

To  write  unto  those  whom  you  name,  I  cannot  see  what 
it  will  avail  me.  For  this  I  would  have  you  know,  that  I 
esteem  nothing  available  for  me,  which  also  will  not  further 
the  glory  of  God.  And  now,  because  I  perceive  you  have 
an  entire  zeal  and  desire  of  my  deliverance  out  of  this 
captivity  and  worldly  misery,  if  I  should  not  bear  you  a  good 
heart  in  God  again,  methink  I  were  to  blame.  Sir,  how 
nigh  the  day  of  my  dissolution  and  departure  out  of  this 
world  is  at  hand,  I  cannot  tell:  the  Lord's  will  be  fulfilled, 
how  soon  soever  it  shall  come.  I  know  the  Lord's  words 
must  be  verified  on  me,  that  I  shall  appear  before  the  in 
corrupt  Judge,  and  be  accountable  to  him  of  all  my  former 
life.  And  although  the  hope  of  his  mercy  is  my  sheet-anchor 
of  eternal  salvation,  yet  am  I  persuaded,  that  whosoever 
wittingly  neglecteth  and  regardeth  not  to  clear  his  conscience, 
he  cannot  have  peace  with  God  nor  a  lively  faith  in  his  mercy. 
Conscience  therefore  moveth  me  (considering  you  were  one 
of  my  family  and  one  of  my  household,  of  whom  then  I 
think  I  had  a  special  cure,  and  of  all  them  which  were 
within  my  house;  which  indeed  ought  to  have  been  an  ex 
ample  of  godliness  to  all  the  rest  of  my  cure,  not  only  of 

[x  To  rely  in  no  point  upon  my  learning.,  or  to  insist  on  nothing 
contrary  to  my  better  knowledge.    ED.] 

22—2 


340  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY, 

good  life,  but  also  in  promoting  of  God's  word  to  the  utter 
most  of  their  power :  but  alas !  now  when  the  trial  doth 
separate  the  chaff  from  the  corn,  how  small  a  deal  it  is,  God 
knoweth,  which  the  wind  doth  not  blow  away !  This  con- 
*knpwied£e,  science b,  I  say,  doth  move  me)  to  fear  lest  the  lightness  of 

the  knowing  '        ,„,..,  5 

this.  my  family  shall  be  laid  to  my  charge,  for  lack  of  more  earnest 
and  diligent  instruction  which  should  have  been  done.  But 
blessed  be  God,  which  hath  given  me  grace  to  see  this  my 
default,  and  to  lament  it  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  before 
my  departing  hence.  This  conscience  doth  move  me  also  now 
to  require  both  you  and  my  friend  Doctor  Harvey,  to  re 
member  your  promises  made  to  me  in  times  past,  of  the  pure 
setting  forth  and  preaching  of  God's  word  and  his  truth.  These 
promises,  although  you  shall  not  need  to  fear  to  be  charged 
with  them  of  me  hereafter  before  the  world,  yet  look  for 
none  other  (I  exhort  you  as  my  friends),  but  to  be  charged 
with  them  at  God's  hand.  This  conscience  and  the  love 
that  I  bear  unto  you  biddeth  me  now  say  unto  you  both 
in  God's  name,  Fear  God,  and  love  not  the  world;  for  God 

Psai.  ii.  is  able  to  cast  both  body  and  soul  into  hell  fire.  "  When  his 
wrath  shall  suddenly  be  kindled,  blessed  are  all  they  that  put 
their  trust  in  him.'1  And  the  saying  of  St  John  is  true: 

Uohnii.  «AU  that  is  in  the  world,  as  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust 
of  the  eyes  and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the  Father,  but 
of  the  world;  and  the  world  passeth  away  and  the  lust 
thereof,  but  he  that  doth  the  will  of  God  abideth  for  ever.'1 
If  this  gift  of  grace,  which  undoubtedly  is  necessarily  re 
quired  unto  eternal  salvation,  were  truly  and  unfeignedly 
grafted  and  firmly  established  in  men's  hearts ;  they  would 
not  be  so  light,  so  suddenly  to  shrink  from  the  maintenance 
and  confession  of  the  truth,  as  is  now,  alas !  seen  so  mani 
festly  of  so  many  in  these  days.  But  here,  peradventure. 

Johnxvii.  yOU  W0uld  know  of  me  what  is  the  truth.  Sir,  God's  word 
is  the  truth,  as  St  John  saith,  and  that  even  the  same  that 
was  heretofore.  For  albeit  man  doth  vary  and  change  as 

xxviiUS'       *ke   moon?  y6^   God's  word   is   stable   and   abideth  one   for 

Heb.  xiii.  evermore :  and  of  Christ  it  is  truly  said,  Christ  yesterday 
and  to-day,  the  same  is  also  for  ever. 

When  I  was  in  office,  all  that  were  esteemed  learned  in 
God's  word,  agreed  this  to  be  a  truth  in  Good's  word  written ; 


LETTERS  OF  BISHOP  RIDLEY. 


341 


that  the  common  prayer  of  the  church  should  be  had  in  the 
common  tongue.  You  know  I  have  conferred  with  many, 
and  I  ensure0  you  I  never  found  man  (so  far  as  I  do  re -'assure. 
member),  neither  old  nor  new,  gospeller  nor  papist,  of  what 
judgment  soever  he  was,  in  this  thing  to  be  of  a  contrary 
opinion.  If  then  it  were  a  truth  of  God's  word,  think  you 
that  the  alteration  of  the  world  can  make  it  an  untruth? 
If  it  cannot,  why  then  do  so  many  men  shrink  from  the 
confession  and  maintenance  of  this  truth,  received  once  of 
us  all  2  For  what  is  it,  I  pray  you,  else,  to  confess  or  deny 
Christ  in  this  world,  but  to  maintain  the  truth  taught  in 
God's  word,  or  for  any  worldly  respect  to  shrink  from  the 
same?  This  one  thing  have  I  brought  for  an  ensample: 
other  things  be  in  like  case,  which  now  particularly  I  need 
not  to  rehearse.  For  he  that  will  forsake  wittingly,  either 
for  fear  or  gain  of  the  world,  any  one  open  truth  of  God's 
word;  if  he  be  constrained,  he  will  assuredly  forsake  God 
and  all  his  truth,  rather  than  he  will  endanger  himself  to 
lose  or  to  leave  that  he  loveth  better  in  deed  than  he  doth 
God  and  the  truth  of  his  word.  I  like  very  well  your  plain 
speaking,  wherein  you  say,  I  must  either  agree  or  die ;  and 
I  think  that  you  mean  of  the  bodily  death,  which  is  common 
both  to  good  and  bad.  Sir,  I  know  I  must  die,  whether  I 
agree  or  no.  But  what  folly  were  it  then  to  make  such 
an  agreement,  by  the  which  I  could  never  escape  this  death, 
which  is  so  common  to  all,  and  also  incur  the  guilt  of 
death  and  eternal  damnation !  Lord,  grant  that  I  may 
utterly  abhor  and  detest  this  damnable  agreement  so  long 
as  I  live.  And  because  (I  dare  say)  you  wrote  of  friend 
ship  unto  me  this  short  earnest  advertisement,  and,  I  think, 
verily  wishing  me  to  live  and  not  to  die ;  therefore,  bear 
ing  you  in  my  heart  no  less  love  in  God  than  you  do 
me  in  the  world,  I  say  unto  you  in  the  word  of  the  Lord 
(and  that  I  say  to  you  I  say  to  all  my  friends  and  lovers 
in  God),  that  if  you  do  not  confess  and  maintain,  to  y em 
power  and  knowledge,  that  which  is  grounded  upon  God's 
word,  but  will,  either  for  fear  or  gain  of  the  world,  shrink 
and  play  the  Apostata,  indeed  you  shah1  die  the  death :  Apostata 
you  know  what  I  mean.  And  I  beseech  you  all,  my  true  which  fled 

T.  •       -•  i    -i  _,  from  his 

mends  and  lovers  in  God.  remember  what  I  say ;  for  this  captain  to 

the  enemy. 


342  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


tanedsGen" 


may  ^e  *ke  ^as^  ^me  peradventure  that  ever  I  shall  write 

you. 

From  Bocardo  in  Oxford,  the  8th  day  of  April,  ]  554. 


LETTER    VII.       (COVERDALE.) 

To  the  brethren  remaining  in  captivity  of  the  flesh,  and  dis 
persed  abroad  in  sundry  prisons,  but  knit  together  in 
unity  of  spirit  and  holy  religion,  in  the  bowels  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

GRACE,  peace,  and  mercy  be  multiplied  among  you.  What 
worthy  thanks  can  we  render  unto  the  Lord  for  you,  my 
brethren?  namely,  for  the  great  consolation  which  through 
you  we  have  received  in  the  Lord;  who  (notwithstanding  the 
rage  of  Satan,  that  goeth  about  by  all  manner  of  subtle  means 
to  beguile  the  world,  and  also  busily  laboureth  to  restore  and 
set  up  his  kingdom  again,  that  of  late  began  to  decay  and 
fall  to  ruin),  ye  remain  yet  still  unmoveable  as  men  surely 
grounded  upon  a  strong  rock.  And  now,  albeit  that  Satan 
by  his  soldiers  and  wicked  ministers  daily  (as  we  hear)  draw- 
eth  numbers  unto  him,  so  that  it  is  said  of  him  that  he 

Apoc.  xii.  plucketh  even  the  very  stars  out  of  heaven,  whilst  he  driveth 
into  some  men  the  fear  of  death  and  loss  of  all  their  goods, 
and  sheweth  and  offereth  to  other  some  the  pleasant  baits  of 
the  world,  namely,  riches,  wealth  and  all  kind  of  delights 
and  pleasures,  fair  houses,  great  revenues,  fat  benefices,  and 
what  not?  and  all  to  the  intent  they  should  fall  clown  and 
worship  (not  in  the  Lord,  but  in  the  dragon,  the  old  ser- 

Apoc.xviii.  pent,  which  is  the  devil,)  that  great  beast  and  his  image, 
and  should  be  enticed  to  commit  fornication  with  the  strum 
pet  of  Babylon,  together  with  the  kings  of  the  earth,  with 
the  lesser  beast,  and  with  the  false  prophets,  and  so  to 
rejoice  and  be  pleasant  with  her,  and  to  be  drunken  with 
the  wine  of  her  fornication ;  yet  blessed  be  God,  the  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  hath  given  unto  you  a  manly 
courage,  and  hath  so  strengthened  you  in  the  inward  man  by 
the  power  of  his  Spirit,  that  you  can  contemn  as  well  all  the 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  343 

terrors,  as  also  the  vain  flattering  allurements  of  the  world, 
esteeming  them  as  vanities,  mere  trifles,  and  things  of  nought  : 
who  hath  also  wrought,  planted,  and  surely  stablished  in  your 
hearts  so  stedfast  a  faith  and  love  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
joined  with  such  constancy,  that  by  no  engines  of  antichrist, 
be  they  never  so  terrible  or  plausible,  ye  will  suffer  any  other 
Jesus  or  any  other  Christ  to  be  forced  upon  you,  besides  him 
whom  the  prophets  have  spoken  of  before,  the  Apostles  have 
preached,  and  the  holy  martyrs  of  God  have  confessed  and 
testified  with  the  effusion  of  their  blood.  "  In  this  faith  stand  Gai.  v. 
ye  fast,  my  brethren,  and  suffer  not  yourselves  to  be  brought 
under  the  yoke  of  bondage  and  superstition  any  more."  For 
ye  know,  brethren,  how  that  our  Saviour  warned  his  before 
hand,  that  such  should  come  as  would  point  unto  the  world 
another  Christ,  and  would  set  him  out  with  so  many  false 
miracles  and  with  such  deceivable  and  subtle  practices,  that 
even  the  very  elect  (if  it  were  possible)  should  be  thereby 
deceived;  such  strong  delusion  to  come  did  our  Saviour  give 
warning  of  before.  But  continue  ye  faithful  and  constant, 
and  be  of  good  comfort  :  and  remember  that  our  grand  Cap 
tain  hath  overcome  the  world  ;  "for  he  that  is  in  us  is  stronger  1  John  iv. 
than  he  that  is  in  the  world,"  and  the  Lord  promiseth  unto 
us,  that  for  the  elect's  sake  the  days  of  wickedness  shall  be 
shortened.  In  the  mean  season  abide  ye,  and  endure  with 
patience  as  ye  have  begun;  endure,  I  say,  and  reserve  your 


selves  unto  better  times,  as  one  of  the  heathen  poets  said,  vi 

r  yEneid,  1. 

Cease  not  to  shew  yourselves  valiant  soldiers  of  the  Lord, 
and  help  to  maintain  the  travailing3  faith  of  the  Gospel.     "  Ye  yjjfe™^ 
have  need  of  patience,  that  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of 
God,  ye   may  receive   the   promises.     For  yet  a  very  little 
while,  and  he  that  shall  come  will  come  and  will  not  tarry  ; 
and  the  just  shall  live  by  faith  :  but  if  any  withdraw  himself, 
my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him,  saith  the  Lord.     But 
we  are  not  they  which  do  withdraw  ourselves  unto  damnation, 
but  believe  unto  the  salvation  of  the  soul."     Let  us  not  suffer 
these  words  of  Christ  to  fail  out  of  our  hearts,  by  any  man 
ner  of  terrors  or  threatenings  of  the  world  :  "  Fear  not  them  Matt.  x. 
which  kill  the  body."     The  rest  ye  know.     For  I  write  not 
unto   you   as   to  men  which  are  ignorant  of  the  truth,  but 
which  know  the  truth  :  and  to  this  end  only,  that  we,  agree- 


344  LETTERS  OF  BISHOP  RIDLEY. 

ing  together  in  one  faith,  may  take  comfort  one  of  another, 
and  be  the  more  confirmed  and  strengthened  thereby.     We 
never  had  a  better  or  a  more  just  cause  either  to  contemn 
our  life,  or  shed  our  blood :  we  cannot  take  in  hand  the  de 
fence  of  a  more  certain,  clear,  and  manifest  truth.     For  it  is 
not  any  ceremony  for  the  which  we  contend ;  but  it  toucheth 
the  very  substance  of  our  whole  religion,  yea,  even  Christ 
'-or.          himself.     Shall  we,  eitherb  can  we,  receive  and  acknowledge 
any  other  Christ,  instead  of  him  who  is  alone  the  everlasting 
Son  of  the  everlasting  Father,  and  is  the  brightness  of  the 
glory,  and  lively  image  of  the  substance,  of  the  Father?   in 
whom  only  dwelleth  corporally  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead, 
who  is  the   only  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life?     Let   such 
wickedness,  my  brethren,  let  such  horrible   wickedness,   be 
far  from  us.     For  although  there  be  that  are  called  gods, 
whether  in  heaven,  either  in  earth,  as  there  be  many  gods 
and  many  lords,  yet  unto  us  there  is  but  one  God,  which  is 
the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  in  him;    and 
one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  by 
John  xvii.    him :  but  every  man  hath  not  knowledge.     "  This  is  life  eter 
nal  (saith  St  John,)  that  they  know  thee  to  be  the  only  true 
God,  and  him  whom  thou  hast  sent,  Jesus  Christ."     If  any 
therefore  would  force  upon  us  any  other  God,  besides  him 
whom  Paul  and  the  Apostles  have  taught,  let  us  not  hear  him, 
but  let  us  fly  from  him  and  hold  him  accursed.     Brethren, 
ye  are  not  ignorant  of  the  deep  and  profound  subtleties  of 
Satan;  for  he  will  not  cease  to  range  about  you,  seeking  by 
all  means  possible  whom  he  may  devour:    but  play  ye  the 
men,  and  be  of  good  comfort  in  the  Lord.     And  albeit  your 
enemies  and   the   adversaries   of  the   truth,  armed   with   all 
worldly  force  and  power  that  may  be,  do  set  upon  you ;  yet 
be  not  ye  faint-hearted,  nor  shrink  not  therefore :   but  trust 
unto  your  captain  Christ,  trust  unto  the  Spirit  of  truth,  and 
trust  to  the  truth  of  your  cause ;    which,  as  it  may  by  the 
malice  of  Satan  be  darkened,  so  can  it  never  be  clean  put 
out.     For  we  have  (high  praise  be  given  to  God  therefore !) 
most  plainly,  evidently,  and  clearly  on  our  side  all  the  pro 
phets,  all  the  apostles,  and  undoubtedly  all  the  ancient  eccle 
siastical  writers  which  have  written  until  of  late  years  past. 
Let  us  be  hearty  and  of  good  courage  therefore,  and  tho- 


LETTERS    OP    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


345 


roughly  comfort  ourselves  in  the  Lord.  "  Be  in  no  ways  Phil.  i. 
afraid  of  your  adversaries ;  for  that  which  is  to  them  an  oc 
casion  of  perdition,  is  to  you  a  sure  token  of  salvation,  and 
that  of  God.  For  unto  you  it  is  given,  that  not  only  ye 
should  believe  on  him,  but  also  suffer  for  his  sake."  And 
when  ye  are  railed  upon  for  the  name  of  Christ,  remember 
that  by  the  voice  of  Peter,  yea,  and  of  Christ  our  Saviour 
also,  ye  are  counted,  with  the  prophets,  with  the  apostles, 
and  with  the  holy  martyrs  of  Christ,  "happy  and  blessed l Pet- iv- 
therefore ; "  for  the  glory  and  Spirit  of  God  resteth  upon  you. 
On  their  part  our  Saviour  Christ  is  evil  spoken  of,  but  on 
your  part  he  is  glorified.  For  what  can  they  else  do  unto 
you  by  persecuting  you,  and  working  all  cruelty  and  villainy 
against  you,  but  make  your  crowns  more  glorious,  yea,  beau 
tify  and  multiply  the  same,  and  heap  upon  themselves  the 
horrible  plagues  and  heavy  wrath  of  God?  And  therefore, 
good  brethren,  though  they  rage  never  so  fiercely  against  us, 
yet  let  us  not  wish  evil  unto  them  again ;  knowing  that,  while 
for  Christ's  cause  they  vex  and  persecute  us,  they  are  like 
madmen,  most  outrageous  and  cruel  against  themselves,  heap 
ing  hot  burning  coals  upon  their  own  heads :  but  rather  let  us 
wish  well  unto  them,  "  knowing  that  we  are  thereunto  called  l  Pet- iu- 
in  Christ  Jesu,  that  we  should  be  heirs  of  the  blessing."  Let 
us  pray  therefore  unto  God,  that  he  would  drive  out  of  their 
hearts  this  darkness  of  errors,  and  make  the  light  of  his 
truth  to  shine  unto  them;  that  they,  acknowledging  their 
blindness,  may  with  all  humble  repentance  be  converted  unto 
the  Lord,  and  together  with  us  confess  him  to  be  the  only 
true  God,  which  is  the  Father  of  lights,  and  his  only  Son 
Jesus  Christ,  worshipping  him  in  spirit  and  verity.  Amen. 

The  Spirit  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  comfort  your  hearts 
in  the  love  of  God  and  patience  of  Christ.     Amen. 

Your  brother  in  the  Lord  (whose  name  the  bearer 
shall  signify  unto  you),  ready  always,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  to  live  and  die  with  you. 


346  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

THE  SAME  IN  LATIN. 

(COVERDALE.) 

Ad  fratres  in  captimtate  carnis,  et  per  varios  car  ceres  dis- 
persos,  sed  in  unitate  Spiritus  atque  sacrosanctce  religi- 
onis  in  visceribus  Jem  Christi  conglutinatos. 

GRATIA  vobis  et  pax  ac  misericordia  multiplicetur.  Quam 
gratiarum  actionem  pro  vobis,  fratres,  reddere  possumus  Do 
mino  super  omni  consolatione  quam  de  vobis  concepimus  in 
Domino?  qui  (Satana  sseviente,  et  per  omnia  fallaciarum 
genera  mundo  imponere  studente,  et  regnum  suurn,  jampri- 
dem  collabascere  ruinamque  minitari  incipiens,  erigere  atque 
denuo  instaurare  sedulo  satagente),  tanquam  in  petra  firmis- 
sime  fundati,  permanetis  immobiles.  Jamque  licet  Satan 
per  suos  satellites  ac  ministros  multos,  ut  audivimus,  quo- 

Apoc.xii.  tidie  pertrahat  ad  sese,  ut  stellas  etiam  e  ccelo  prosternere 
dicatur,  aliis  nimirum  metum  mortis,  aut  amissionis  commo- 

Apoc.  xviii.  dorum  hujus  mundi,  incutiendo ;  aliis  pollicendo,  aut  osten- 
tando  illecebras  hujus  mundi,  opes  videlicet,  atque  omnis 
generis  lautitias,  sedes  amplas,  lata  prsedia,  opima  sacerdotia, 
ac  quid  non?  uti  prostrati  adorent  (non  in  Domino,  sed  in 
dracone,  serpente  antique  qui  est  diabolus),  magnam  illam 
bestiam  et  imaginem  ejus,  utque  cum  regibus  terrae,  et  mi- 
nore  bestia,  et  pseudo-prophetis,  scortari  velint  cum  Baby- 
lonica  meretrice,  et  cum  ilia  laetari  atque  luxuriari,  et  de  vino 
prostitutionis  ejus  inebriari:  benedictus  tamen  Deus  et  pater 
Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi,  qui  vobis  dedit  pectus  masculum ; 
quique  fortitudine  spiritus  ita  vos  in  interno  homine  corro- 
boravit,  ut  isthsec  omnia  sive  terriculamenta,  sive  hujus  mundi 
illecebras,  pro  vanitatibus  ac  meris  nugis  nihilique  tricis  con- 
temnere  possitis;  quique  ita  cordibus  vestris  tantam  constan- 
tiam,  fiduciam,  ac  amorem  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi  per- 
suasit,  insevit,  alteque  impressit,  ut  nullis  Antichrist!  machinis. 
quantumvis  alioqui  aut  terribilibus  aut  plausibilibus,  sinatis 

Matt.  xxiv.  vobis  alium  Jesum  aut  alium  Christum,  prseter  eum  quern 
prophetse  prsedixerunt,  apostoli  annunciaverunt,  et  sancti  Dei 
martyres  suo  sanguine  confess!  sunt.  In  hac  fide,  fratres, 
state,  et  ne  rursus  jugo  servitutis  aut  superstitionis  impli- 
cemini.  Nostis  enim,  fratres,  quemadmodum  Servator  noster 
prsemonuit  suos  futurum,  ut  venirent  qui  alium  Christum 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  347 

mundo  ostentarent,  eumque  tot  miraculorum  et  fallaciarum 
dolis  atque  fraudibus  commendarent,  ut  elect!  quoque,  si  fieri 
posset,  seducerentur :  tarn  fortem  futuram  esse  prsedixit  illu- 
sionem  Salvator.  Sed  durate,  fratres,  atque  confidite,  et 
memineritis  mundum  a  nostro  Agonotheta  devictum  esse. 
"  Major  enim  est  qui  in  nobis  est,  quam  qui  est  in  mundo : "  l  John  1V- 
et  pollicetur  nobis  Dominus,  ut  propter  electos  dies  malife 
abbrevientur.  Interea  vos,  quod  facitis,  fratres,  durate;  du 
rate,  inquam,  et  vosmet  rebus,  ut  quidam  gentilium  poetarum  virgii's 
dixit,  servate  secundis :  pergite  prsebere  vos  strenuos  athletas 
Domini,  et  adjuvate  decertantem  evangelii  fidem.  "  Patientia  Heb.  x. 
vobis  opus  est,  ut  cum  voluntatem  Domini  peregeritis,  repor- 
tetis  promissionem.  Adhuc  enim  pusillum  temporis,  et  qui 
venturus  est  veniet,  et  non  tardabit.  Justus  enim  ex  fide 
victurus  est ;  et  si  se  subduxerit,  non  probabitur  animo  meo, 
dicit  Dominus.  At  nos  non  sumus  qui  subducimus  nos  in 
perditionem,  sed  ad  fidem  pertinemus  in  acquisitionem  ani- 
mse."  Non  sinamus,  fratres,  ullis  mundi  tonitruis  verba  ilia 
Christi  nostris  cordibus  excidere :  "  ne  terreamini  ab  illis  qui  Matt- x- 
occidunt  corpus."  Reliqua  nostis.  Non  enim  scribo  vobis  ut 
ignorantibus  veritatem,  sed  ut  earn  cognoscentibus,  tantum  ut 
per  mutuam  fidem  consolationem  communem  capiamus  con- 
firmemusque.  Nulla  unquam  melior  aut  major  causa  vel 
contemnendse  vitaa  vel  profundendi  sanguinis.  Nulla  esse 
potest  causa  aut  certioris  veritatis,  evidentise,  aut  claritatis. 
Non  enim  agitur  controversia  de  ceremoniola  aliqua,  sed  de 
substantia  universse  religionis  nostrae,  adeoque  de  Christo 
ipso.  Num  alium  Christum,  pro  eo  qui  solus  est  seterni  Pa- 
tris  seternus  filius,  qui  est  splendor  glorise  et  expressa  imago 
substantise  Patris,  in  quo  uno  plenitudo  divinitatis  corporali- 
ter  inhabitat,  qui  est  solus  via,  veritas  et  vita,  admittere 
agnoscereque  volumus  aut  possumus?  Absit,  fratres,  absit 
tanta  procul  impietas  a  nobis.  "  Nam  quanquam  etiam  sint  1  cor.  viii. 
qui  dicantur  dii,  sive  in  coelo  sive  in  terra,  quemadmodum 
sunt  dii  multi  et  domini  multi,  nobis  tamen  unus  est  Deus, 
qui  est  Pater,  ille  ex  quo  omnia,  et  nos  in  ilium,  et  unus 
Dominus  Christus,  per  quern  omnia,  et  nos  per  ilium : "  sed 
non  in  omnibus  est  scientia.  "  Hsec  est  (inquit  Johannes)  John  \\a. 
vita  seterna ;  ut  cognoscant  te  solum  verum  Deum,  et  quern 
misisti  Jesum  Christum."  Si  quis  igitur  nobis  alium  Deum 


348  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

obtrudere  velit,  prseter  eum  quern  Paulus  et  Apostoli  docu- 
erunt,  non  audiamus,  sed  ut  anathema  procul  fugiamus.  Pro- 
funditates  Satanse  non  ignoratis,  fratres ;  non  enim  cessabit 
ille  circumire  vos,  ut  quserat  quo  vis  modo  quern  devoret.  Sed 
viriliter  agite,  et  comfortemini  in  Domino :  et  licet  hostes 
vestri  et  adversarii  veritatis  omnibus  mundi  prsesidiis  muniti 
fuerint,  et  vos  adoriantur,  nolite  tamen  propterea  animum  de- 
spondere,  sed  confidite  duci  vestro  Christo,  confidite  Spiritui 
veritatis  et  veritati  causa?,  vestrae,  quse,  ut  tenebris  per  nequi- 
tiam  Satanse  obduci,  ita  extingui  non  potest.  Stant  enim  a 
nobis  (ingentes  Deo  gratise !)  certissime,  evidentissimeque, 
clarissimeque,  omnes  prophetse,  apostoli,  et  omnes  proculdubio 
veteres  ecclesiastic!  scriptores  usque  ad  tempora  neoterico- 
rum.  Confidamus  ergo,  et  plenam  in  Domino  capiamus  con- 
Phil,  i.  solationem:  "nee  terreamini  ab  adversariis ;  quse  enim  illis 
causa  est  perditionis,  vobis  autem  salutis,  et  hoc  a  Deo ; 
quia  vobis  donatum  est  non  solum  ut  in  eum  credatis,  verum 
etiam  ut  pro  illo  patiamini."  Et  dum  probris  afficiamini  no 
mine  Christi,  cogitate  vos  voce  Petri,  imo  et  Christi  salvato- 
ris,  beatos  esse  cum  prophetis,  cum  apostolis,  cum  martyribus 
iPet.iv.  (Jhristi,  "quoniam  gloria  et  Spiritus  Domini  super  vos  requi- 
escit.  Juxta  illos  Servator  noster  maledictis  affieitur,  juxta 
vos  glorificatur : "  quid  enim  aliud,  vos  persequendo  aut  etiam 
crudeliora  designando,  vobis  facere  possunt,  quam  vestras  vo 
bis  coronas  insignire,  ornare,  et  multiplicare,  sibi  vero  plagas 
suas  et  iras  Dei  graves  accumulare  et  aggravare?  Ergo  ne 
turn  quidem,  cum  maxime  in  nos  debacchantur,  male  prece- 
mur  illis,  fratres;  scientes  quoniam  dum  nos  ob  Christum 
Kom.xii.  insectantur,  in  seipsos  maxime  sseviunt,  "ardentesque  in  capita 
i  Pet.iii.  propria  carbones  congerunt :  "  sed  bene  precemur  potius ;  "  sci 
entes  nos  in  Christo  vocatos  esse  ut  benedictionem  hsereditate 
possideamus."  Precemur  ergo,  ut  Dominus  e  cordibus  eorum 
errorum  tenebras  dispellat,  et  veritatis  lucem  illis  faciat  illu- 
cescere ;  ut,  agnitis  erroribus,  supplices  poenitudine  ad  Domi- 
num  convertantur,  et  nobiscum  solum  ilium  verum  Deum  qui 
est  pater  luminum,  et  ejus  unicum  filium  Dominum  Jesum  Chris 
tum,  agnoscant,  atque  in  spiritu  et  veritate  adorent.  Amen. 

Vester  in  Domino  frater  (quern  tabellarius  vobis  de- 
nuntiabit),  per  Dei  gratiam  ad  convivendum  et 
commoriendum. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  349 


LETTER    VIII.       (COVERDALE.) 

To  the  brethren  which  constantly  cleave  unto  Christ,  in  suffer 
ing  affliction  with  him,  and  for  his  sake. 

GRACE  and  peace  from  God  the  Father,  and  from  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  multiplied  unto  you,  Amen. — Although, 
brethren,  we  have  of  late  heard  nothing  from  you,  neither 
have  at  this  present  any  news  to  send  you ;  yet  we  thought 
good  something  to  write  unto  you,  whereby  ye  might  un 
derstand  that  we  have  good  remembrance  of  you  continually, 
as  we  doubt  not  but  ye  have  of  us  also.  When  this  mes 
senger,  coming  unto  us  from  you  of  late,  had  brought  us 
good  tidings  of  your  great  constancy,  fortitude,  and  patience 
in  the  Lord,  we  were  filled  with  much  joy  and  gladness; 
giving  thanks  to  God  the  Father  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  which  hath  caused  his  face  so  to  shine  upon  you, 
and  with  the  light  of  spiritual  understanding  hath  so  lightened 
your  hearts,  that  now,  being  in  captivity  and  bands  for  Christ's 
cause,  ye  have  not  ceased,  as  much  as  in  you  lieth,  by 
words,  but  much  more  by  deed  and  by  your  example,  to 
stablish  and  confirm  that  thing  which,  when  ye  were  at  liberty 
in  the  world,  ye  laboured  to  publish  and  set  abroad  by  the 
word  and  doctrine ;  that  is  to  say,  "  holding  fast  the  word  phiL  "• 
of  life,  ye  shine  as  lights  in  the  world,  in  the  midst  of  a 
wicked  and  crooked  nation : "  and  that  with  so  much  the 
greater  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  profit  of  your 
brethren,  by  how  much  Satan  more  cruelly  now  rageth,  and 
busily  laboureth  to  darken  the  light  of  the  Gospel. 

And  as  for  the  darkness  that  Satan  now  bringeth  upon 
the  Church  of  England,  who  needeth  to  doubt  thereof? 
Of  late  time,  our  Saviour  Christ,  his  apostles,  prophets,  and 
teachers,  spake  in  the  temple  to  the  people  of  England 
in  the  English  tongue,  so  that  they  might  be  understood 
plainly  and  without  any  hardness a  of  the  godly,  and  such  *  difficulty. 
as  sought  for  heavenly  knowledge  in  matters  which,  of 
necessity  of  salvation,  pertained  to  the  obtaining  of  eter 
nal  life.  But  now  those  things  which  once  were  written  of 
them  for  the  edifying  of  the  congregation,  are  read  in  a 
strange  tongue  without  interpretation;  manifestly  again?*  Tt 


350  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

PaiiTs  commandment;  so  that  there  is  no  man  able  to  un 
derstand  them,  which  hath  not  learned  that  strange  and  un 
known  tongue.  Of  late  days  those  heavenly  mysteries, 
whereby  Christ  hath  engraffed  us  into  his  body,  and  hath 
united  us  one  to  another,  whereby  being  also  regenerate 
and  born  anew  unto  God,  he  hath  nourished,  increased, 
and  strengthened  us,  whereby  moreover  either  he  hath  taught 
and  set  forth  an  order  amongst  them  which  are  whole,  or 
else  to  the  sick  in  soul  or  body  hath  given,  as  it  were,  whole 
some  medicines  and  remedies — those,  I  say,  were  all  plainly 
set  forth  to  the  people  in  their  own  language;  so  that,  what 
great  and  exceeding  good  things  every  man  had  received  of 
God,  what  duty  every  one  owed  to  another  by  God's  ordi 
nance,  what  every  one  had  professed  in  his  vocation  and  was 
bound  to  observe,  where  remedy  was  to  be  had  for  the  weak 
and  feeble, — he  to  whom  God  hath  given  a  desire  and  will 
ing  heart  to  understand  those  things,  might  soon  perceive 
and  understand:  but  now  all  these  things  are  taught  and 
set  forth  in  such  sort,  that  the  people  redeemed  with  Christ's 
blood,  and  for  whose  sakes  they  were  by  Christ  himself  or 
dained,  can  have  no  manner  of  understanding  thereof  at  all. 
Of  late  (forasmuch  as  we  know  not  how  to  pray  as  we  ought), 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  his  prayer,  whereof  he  would  have 
no  man  ignorant,  and  also  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  psalms, 
hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  which  are  set  forth  in  the  bible, 
did  teach  and  instruct  all  the  people  of  England  in  the 
English  tongue,  that  they  might  ask  such  things  as  are  ac 
cording  to  the  will  of  the  Father,  and  might  join  their  hearts 
and  lips  in  prayer  together :  but  now  all  these  things  are 
commanded  to  be  hid  and  shut  up  from  them  in  a  strange 
tongue,  whereby  it  must  needs  follow,  that  the  people  nei 
ther  can  tell  how  to  pray,  nor  what  to  pray  for;  and  how 
can  they  join  their  hearts  and  voices  together,  when  they 
understand  no  more  what  the  voice  signifieth,  than  a  brute 
beast?  Finally,  I  here  say,  that  the  catechism  which  was 
lately  set  forth  in  the  English  tongue,  is  now  in  every  pulpit 
condemned.  Oh  devilish  malice,  and  most  spitefully  injuri 
ous  to  the  salvation  of  mankind  purchased  by  Jesus  Christ ! 
Indeed  Satan  could  not  long  suffer  that  so  great  light  should 
be  spread  abroad  in  the  world;  he  saw  well  enough,  that 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  351 

nothing  was  able  to  overthrow  his  kingdom  so  much  as  if 
children,  being  godly  instructed  in  religion,  should  learn  to 
know  Christ  while  they  are  yet  young;   whereby  not   only 
children,  but  the  elder  sort  also,  and  aged  folks,  that  be 
fore   were   not   taught  to   know   Christ  in  their   childhood, 
should  now,  even  with  children  and  babes,  be  forced  to  learn 
to  know  him.     Now  therefore   he   roareth,   now  he  rageth. 
But  what  else  do  they,  brethren,  which  serve  Satan,  and  be 
come  his  ministers  and  slaves  in  maintaining  of  this  impiety, 
but   even  the  same  which  they   did,   to   whom    Christ   our 
Saviour  threateneth  this  curse  in  the  Gospel  ?     "Woe  unto  Matt-  xxiil'« 
you  which  shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  before  men,  and 
take  away  the  key  of  knowledge  from  them ;  ye  yourselves 
have  not   entered  in,   neither  have    ye    suffered   them   that 
would  enter  to  come  in."     And  from  whence  shall  we  say, 
brethren,  that  this  horrible  and  mischievous   darkness  pro- 
ceedeth,  which  is  now  brought  into  the  world?  from  whence, 
I  pray  you,  "  but  even  from  the  smoke  of  the  great  furnace,  Apoc- ix* 
the  bottomless  pit,  so   that   the   sun   and   the   air   are   now 
darkened  by  the  smoke  of  the  pit?"     Now,  even  now,  out  of 
doubt,   brethren,   the   pit    is    opened   amongst   us,   and    the 
locusts  begin  to  swarm,  and   Abaddon  now  reigneth.      Ye 
therefore,  my  brethren,  which  pertain  unto  Christ,  and  have 
the  seal  of  God  marked  on  your  foreheads,  that  is  to  wit,  Apoc- vii* 
are  sealed  up  with  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  to  be  a  peculiar 
people  unto  God,  quit  yourselves  like  men,  and  be  strong: 
for  he  that  is  in  us,  is  stronger  than   he  which   is   in   the 
world  :  and  ye  know,  "  that  all  that  is  born  of  God  overcometh  1  John  iv* 
the  world,  and  this  is  our  victory  that  overcometh  the  world, 
even  our  faith."     Let  the  world  fret,  let  it  rage  never  so  much, 
be  it  never  so  cruel  and  bloody ;  yet  be  ye  sure  that  no  man 
can   take   us  out   of  the  Father's  hands,  for  he  is  greater 
than  all :  "  who  hath  not  spared  his  own  Son,  but  hath  given  Rom>  viii' 
him  to  death  for  us   all;    and  therefore   how   shall   he   not 
with  him  give  us  all  things  also?     Who  shall  lay  any  thing      \ 
to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?     It  is  God  that  justifieth :  who 
shall  then  condemn?     It  is  Christ  that  is  dead,  yea  rather 
which  is  risen  again,  who  is  also  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
and  maketh  request  also  for  us.     Who  shall  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  Christ?  shall  tribulation,  or  anguish,  or  persecu- 


352  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

tion,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword?" — The  rest 
ye  know,  brethren.  We  are  certainly  persuaded  with  St  Paul, 
by  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  no  kind  of  thing 
shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  Which  thing  that  it  may  come 
to  pass,  by  the  grace  and  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
to  the  comfort  both  of  you  and  of  us  all,  as  we  for  our 
parts  will  continually,  God  willing,  pray  for  you;  so,  dear 
brethren  in  the  Lord,  with  all  earnest  and  hearty  request, 
we  beseech  you,  even  in  the  bowels  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  ye  will  not  cease  to  pray  for  us.  Fare  ye  well,  dear 
brethren.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you 
all  evermore,  Amen. 

Yours  in  the  Lord, 

NICHOLAS  RIDLEY. 

THE  SAME  IN  LATIN. 

(COVERDALE.) 

Ad  fratres  qui  Christum  cum  cruce  amplectmtur. 

GRATIA  vobis  et  pax  a  Deo  et  Domino  nostro  Jesu  Christo 
multiplicetur,  Amen.  Licet  a  vobis,  fratres,  nihil  nuper  ac- 
cepimus,  neque  vobis  aliquid  novi  nunc  nuntiandum  habemus, 
tamen  ideo  visum  est  nobis  aliquid  vobis  scribere,  ut  intel- 
ligatis  nos  memoriam  vestri  bonam  habere  perpetuam,  sicut 
vos  de  nobis  habere  minime  dubitamus.  Veniente  nuper  ad 
nos  harum  latore,  et  annuntiante  nobis  vestram  omnium  in 
Domino  constantiam,  fortitudinem  et  patientiam  multam,  re- 
pleti  sumus  consolatione  et  gaudio,  gratias  agentes  Deo  et 
Patri  per  Dominum  nostrum  Jesum  Christum,  qui  ita  illu- 
minavit  vultum  suum  super  vos  et  lumine  intelligentise  spiritu- 
alis  ita  illustravit  corda  vestra,  ut  quod  nuper  (dum  essetis 
in  mundo  liberi,)  verbo  et  doctrina  passim  prsestare  sategistis, 
nunc  propter  Christum  captivi,  quantum  licet,  verbo,  sed  multo 
magis  opere  atque  vestro  exemplo,  prsestare  non  cessatis; 
hoc  est,  sermonem  vitse  sustinentes,  lucetis  tanquam  luminaria 
in  mundo,  in  medio  nationis  pravse  et  tortuosse :  idque  tanto 
cum  majore  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi  gloria,  fratrumque 
vestrorum  emolumento  et  utilitate,  quanto  nunc  Satan  magis 
s?evit,  majoresque  luci  evangelicse  conatur  inducere  tenebras. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


353 


De  tenebris  autem,  quas  nunc  ecclesise  Anglicanse  Satan  of- 
fundit,  quis  potest  dubitare?  Nuper  Christus  salvator,  apos- 
toli,  prophetse,  et  doctores  ipsius,  in  templo  loquebantur 
populo  Anglicano  Anglice,  ita  ut  ab  eis  qui  pii  erant  et  re- 
rum  coelestium  studiosi,  in  iis  quse  ad  vitse  seternse  redemp- 
tionem  de  necessitate  salutis  pertinebant,  clare  et  absque 
senigmate  facile  intelligi  poterant :  nunc  vero  quse  ab  illis 
olim  in  sedificationem  ecclesise  scripta  sunt,  leguntur  in  lin 
gua  peregrina,  citra  interpretationem,  manifeste  contra  prse- 
ceptum  Pauli  apostoli ;  ita  ut  a  nemine  prorsus,  qui  alienam 
et  peregrinam  illam  linguam  non  didicerit,  intelligi  possint. 
Nuper  sacrosancta  ilia  mysteria  coelestia,  quibus  nos  sibi 
Christus  insevit  et  suo  corpori  complantavit,  atque  nos  inter 
nos  mutuo  colligavit,  quibus  natos  Dei  aluit,  auxit,  atque 
corroboravit ;  denique  quibus  aut  ordinem  inter  sanos  docuit, 
aut  segrotis  vel  anima  vel  corpore  veluti  salubria  pharmaca 
tradidit — omnia  populo  clare  in  sua  lingua  tradebantur,  ita  ut 
quisque,  quanta  et  quse  immensa  a  Deo  accepisset,  quid  cuique 
ex  Dei  prsescripto  deberet,  quid  in  sua  quisque  vocatione  pro- 
fessus  esset  et  observare  teneretur,  unde  languenti  remedium 
esset  petendum,  facile  is  cui  Deus  mentem  et  animum  hsec 
intelligendi  avidum  dedit,  quam  facillime  intelligere  poterat : 
nunc  vero  omnia  haec  ita  traduntur,  ut  eorum  omnium  po- 
pulus  Christi  sanguine  redemptus,  et  cui  hsec  maxime  a 
Christo  instituta  sunt,  ne  tant ilium  quidem  intelligere  possit. 
Nuper  (quum  quid  orare  debemus  ut  oportet  nescimus) 
Dominus  noster  Jesus  Christus  in  sua,  quam  omnibus  tradi 
voluit,  oratione,  atque  etiam  Spiritus  sanctus  in  psalmis, 
hymnis,  et  cantionibus  spiritualibus,  quse  in  sacris  bibliis  re- 
periuntur,  universum  populum  Anglicanum  Anglice  docuit,  ut 
et  quse  petenda  essent  juxta  voluntatem  Patris  peterent,  et 
corda  cum  labiis  in  oratione  conjungerent :  nunc  vero  omnia 
sub  involucre  linguse  peregrinse  jubentur  claudi,  unde  neces- 
sario  sequi  oportet,  populum  neque  quid  oret  neque  quid 
orare  debeat  posse  intelligere :  et  quomodo  potest  cor  voci 
conjungere,  quum,  quid  vox  valeat,  magis  quam  brutum  in 
telligere  nequeat?  Postremo,  audio  passim  in  pulpitis  nunc 
damnari  catechesim  illam  editam  nuper  in  sermone  vulgar! . 
0  malitiam  daemoniacam,  et  humani  generis  per  Christum 
saluti  partse  plane  invidam !  Omnino  Satan  tantam  lucem 

23 
[RIDLEY.] 


354 


LETTERS  OF  BISHOP  RIDLEY. 


vulgar!  per  orbem  cliu  sustinere  non  potuit :    nihil  seque   in 
suo   regno   subvertendo   efficere   posse   intellexit,    quam   si   a 
teneris  annis  sacris  imbuti  pueri  Christum  didicissent ;   unde 
non  tantum  pueros,   sed  et  senes  atque   setate   provectiores, 
qui  ab  infantia  Christum  prius  non  didicissent,  una  cum  pueris 
Christum  discere  necesse  erat.     Ergo  nunc  exclamat  et  vo- 
ciferatur.     Sed  quid  faciunt  aliud,  fratres,  qui  Satanse  in  hac 
impietate  operam  impendunt  atque  ministrant,  quam  illi  qui- 
bus  Christus  servator  noster  in  evangelio  dirum  illud  inter- 
Matt,  xxiii.  minatur  et  intonat  ?    dicens :  "  Vse  vobis  qui  clauditis  regnum 
ante  homines,  qui  tulistis  clavem  scientise  :  ipsi  non  introiistis, 
et  introire  volentes  prohibuistis."     Et  unde,  fratres,  dixerimus 
has  tetras  et  exitiosas  tenebras  in   mundum   invectas   exha- 
lasse?     Unde,  quseso,  quam  ex  fumo   fornacis   magni   putei 
abyssi,  ut  jam  obscuratus  sit  sol  et  aer  ex  fumo  putei  ?    Jam 
jam  proculdubio,  fratres,  apud  nos  puteus  apertus  est,  locustse 
Apoc.  i\.      luxuriantur    et    Abaddon    regnat.      Ergo,    fratres,    qui    estis 
APOC.  vii.     Christi,  qui  signum  Dei  habetis  in  frontibus  vestris,  hoc  est 
arra  Spiritus  obsignati  estis  in  populum  peculiarem  Deo,  vi- 
i  John  iv.     riliter  agite  et  confortamini ;  major  enim  est  qui  est  in  nobis 
Rom.  viii.     quam  qui  est  in  mundo.     Scitis  autem  quod  omne,  quod  na- 
tum  est  ex  Deo,  vincit  mundum,   et  hsec    est  victoria   quae 
vincit  mundum,  fides   nostra.     Fremat,  frendat,  et   insseviat 
quantumlibet  mundus  ;  scitote  quod  nemo  potest  nos  tollere  de 
manu  Patris,  quia  major  est  omnibus :   qui  proprio  filio  suo 
non  pepercit,  sed  pro  nobis  omnibus  tradidit  ilium ;  et  proinde 
qui  fieri  potest  ut  non  cum  illo  omnia  nobis  donet  2     Quis 
intentabit  crimina  adversus  electos  Dei?     Deus  est  qui  jus- 
tificat :   quis  ille  qui  condemnet  ?     Christus  est  qui  mortuus, 
immo  et  qui  suscitatus  est,  qui  et  intercedit  pro  nobis.     Quis 
nos  separabit  a  dilectione   Dei  2     Num   afnictio  ?     Num   an- 
gustia  ?    Num  persecutio  2    Num  fames  2    Num  nuditas  2    Num 
periculum  2    Num  gladius  2 — Reliqua  nostis,  fratres.    Speramus 
plane  cum  Paulo,  per  gratiam  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi, 
quod  nihil  prorsus  nos  potent  separare  a  dilectione  Dei,  quse 
est  in  Christo  Jesu  Domino  nostro.     Quod  ut  et  vobis  sit, 
et  nobis  omnibus  contingat  gratia  et  misericordia  servatoris 
nostri   Jesu  Christi,  et  nos  pro  vobis   (Deo  volente)   indesi- 
nenter  orabimus,  et  vos  pro  nobis  ne  aliquando  orare  desinatis, 
etiam  atque  etiam  in  visceribus  Jesu  Christi,  fratres  in  Do- 


LETTERS  OF  BISHOP  RIDLEY.  355 

mino  charissimi,  quantum  possumus  obnixe  precamur.  Bene 
valete,  fratres  charissimi.  Gratia  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christ! 
sit  semper  cum  omnibus  vobis.  Amen. 

Vester  in  Domino,  N.  R. 


LETTER    IX.       (COVERDALE.) 

To  my  most  dear  Brother,  and  reverend  fellow  Elder  in 
Christ,  JOHN  HOOPER,  grace  and  peace. 

MY  dearly  beloved  brother  and  fellow  elder,  whom  I 
reverence  in  the  Lord,  pardon  me,  I  beseech  you,  that  hitherto, 
since  your  captivity  and  mine,  I  have  not  saluted  you  by 
my  letters:  whereas,  I  do  indeed  confess,  I  have  received 
from  you  (such  was  your  gentleness,)  two  letters  at  sundry 
times,  but  yet  at  such  times  as  I  could  not  be  suffered  to  write 
unto  you  again;  or  if  I  might  have  written,  yet  was  I 
greatly  in  doubt,  lest  my  letters  should  not  safely  come  unto 
your  hands.  But  now,  my  dear  brother,  forasmuch  as  I 
understand  by  your  works,  which  I  have  yet  but  superfi 
cially  seen,  that  we  thoroughly  agree  and  wholly  consent 
together  in  those  things  which  are  the  grounds  and  sub 
stantial  points  of  our  religion,  against  the  which  the  world 
so  furiously  rageth  in  these  our  days,  howsoever  in  time  past 
in  smaller  matters  and  circumstances  of  religion,  your  wisdom 
and  my  simplicity  (I  confess)  have  in  some  points  varied : 
now,  I  say,  be  you  assured,  that  even  with  my  whole  heart, 
(God  is  my  witness,)  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  I  love  you, 
and  in  truth,  for  the  trutlVs  sake  which  abideth  in  us,  and 
(as  I  am  persuaded)  shall  by  the  grace  of  God  abide  with 
us  for  evermore.  And  because  the  world,  as  I  perceive, 
brother,  ceaseth  not  to  play  his  pageant,  and  busily  con- 
spireth  against  Christ  our  Saviour,  with  all  possible  force 
and  power,  exalting  high  things  against  the  knowledge  of 
God,  let  us  join  hands  together  in  Christ ;  and  if  we  cannot 
overthrow,  yet  to  our  power,  and  as  much  as  in  us  lieth, 
let  us  shake  those  high  things,  not  with  carnal,  but  with 
spiritual  weapons ;  and  withal,  brother,  let  us  prepare  our 
selves  to  the  day  of  our  dissolution ;  whereby  after  the  short 

23 — 2 


S56  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

time  of  this  bodily  affliction,  by  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  we  shall  triumph  together  with  him  in  eternal  glory. 
I  pray  you,  brother,  salute  in  my  name  that  reverend 
father,  your  fellow  prisoner,  Dr  Crome ;  by  whom,  since  the 
first  day  that  I  heard  of  his  most  godly  and  fatherly  con 
stancy  in  confessing  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  I  have  conceived 
great  consolation  and  joy  in  the  Lord.  For  the  integrity 
and  uprightness,  the  gravity  and  innocency  of  that  man  all 
England,  I  think,  hath  known  long  ago.  Blessed  be  God 
therefore,  which  in  such  abundance  of  iniquity  and  decay  of 
all  godliness  hath  given  unto  us,  in  this  reverend  old  age, 
such  a  witness  for  the  truth  of  his  Gospel.  Miserable  and 
hard-hearted  is  he,  whom  the  godliness  and  constant  confes 
sion  of  so  worthy,  so  grave,  and  innocent  a  man  will  not 
move  to  acknowledge  and  confess  the  truth  of  God.  I  do 
not  now,  brother,  require  you  to  write  any  thing  to  me 
again;  for  I  stand  much  in  fear  lest  your  letters  should  be 
intercepted  before  they  can  come  to  my  hands.  Neverthe 
less  know  you,  that  it  shall  be  to  me  great  joy  to  hear  of 
your  constancy  and  fortitude  in  the  Lord's  quarrel.  And 
albeit  I  have  not  hitherto  written  unto  you,  yet  have  I  twice, 
as  I  could,  sent  unto  you  my  mind  touching  the  matter 
which  in  your  letters  you  required  to  know,  neither  can  I 
yet,  brother,  be  otherwise  persuaded.  I  see,  methinks,  so 
many  perils  whereby  I  am  earnestly  moved  to  counsel  you 
not  to  hasten  the  publishing  of  your  works,  especially  under 
the  title  of  your  own  name.  For  I  fear  greatly,  lest  by  this 
occasion,  both  your  mouth  should  be  stopped  hereafter,  and 
all  things  taken  away  from  the  rest  of  the  prisoners  ;  whereby 
otherwise,  if  it  so  please  God,  they  may  be  able  to  do  good 
to  many.  Farewell  in  the  Lord,  my  most  dear  brother ;  and 
if  there  be  any  more  in  prison  with  you  for  Christ's  cause, 
I  beseech  you,  as  you  may,  salute  them  in  my  name ;  to 
whose  prayers  I  do  most  humbly  and  heartily  commend 
myself  and  my  fellow-prisoners,  concaptives  in  the  Lord : 
and  yet  once  again  and  for  ever  in  Christ,  my  most  dear 
brother,  farewell. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    IllDLEY.  35  7 

THE  SAME  IN  LATIN. 

(CoVERDALE.) 

Charissimo  fratri  et  venerabili  in  Christo  compreslytero 
Joanni  Hopero  gratiam  et  pacem. 

DILECTE  frater  et  venerabilis  in  Christo  compresbyter, 
condonet  mihi  precor  tua  dilectio,  quod  hactenus  a  tua  cap- 
tivitate,  tua  simul  et  mea,  tuam  dilectionem  meis  literis  non 
salutaverirn,  quando  (ingenue  fateor)  mihi  abs  te  (quae  tua 
erat  humanitas)  binae  literae  datae  fuerunt,  diversis  quidem 
temporibus,  sed  eis  semper  profecto  in  quibus  aut  mihi  per 
iniquitatem  temporis  rescribere  bene  non  licuit,  aut,  si  rescrip- 
sissem,  de  literis  ad  te  tuto  perferendis  multum  dubitavi.  Jam 
vero,  charissime  frater,  quum  ex  illis  tuis  lucubrationibus,  quas 
mihi  non  nisi  obiter  videre  contigit,  facile  intelligo  nos  in  iis 
quae  sunt  nostrae  religionis  fundamenta  et  bases  omnium  (ad- 
versus  quas  mundus  hodie  tantopere  insanit)  probe  convenire 
et  in  unum  conspirare,  utcumque  in  rebus  minoribus  et  reli 
gionis  appendicibus  olim  tua  prudentia  et  mea  simplicitas  in 
aliquibus  (fateor)  uterque  suum  sensum  habebat :  jam,  inquam, 
cognoscat  tua  dilectio,  quod  ex  animo  (Deus  mihi  testis  est) 
in  visceribus  Christi  te  diligam,  frater  in  veritate,  propter 
veritatem  quae  permanet  in  nobis,  et,  ut  mihi  persuasum  ha- 
beo,  per  gratiam  Dei  permanebit  nobiscum  in  aeternum, 
(Juoniam  autem  (uti  video,  frater)  mundus  causam  suam  agere 
non  cessat,  et  contra  Christum  Servatorem  quantum  potest 
maximis  munitionibus  conspirat,  et  summas  conatur  erigere 
altitudines  adversus  cognitionem  Dei,  jungamus,  frater,  dex-2Cor.x. 
tras  in  Christo,  et  pro  nostro  virili,  quantumque  in  nobis 
situm  erit,  non  armis  carnalibus  sed  spiritualibus,  si  non  pos- 
Kiimus  demoliri,  saltern  pulsemus  illas  altitudines :  et  simul 
nos  jam,  frater,  prseparemus  ad  diem  dissolutions  nostrae.,  per 
quam  cum  Christo  post  momentaneam  carnis  istius  nostrae 
aiflictionem  in  seternum,  gratia  Domini  Jesu  Christi,  simul 
cum  illo  triumphabimus  in  gloria  sempiterna. 

Obsecro,  frater,  saluta  meo  nomine  venerandum  ilium  tumn 
concaptivum  et  mihi  vere  venerabilem  patrem  D.  Cromerum ; 
de  quo  (mihi  crede)  ex  primo  die  quo  de  ejus  sanctissima  et 
gravissima  constantia  in  confessione  veritatis  evangelicse  au- 
divi,  semper  maximam  consolationem  maximumque  gaudium 


358  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

concepi  in  Domino :  integritatem  enim  ejus  viri,  gravitatem, 
et  innocentiam,  jampridem  universa  pene  (credo)  novit  Anglia. 
Benedictus  igitur  Deus,  qui  nobis  in  tanta  abundantia  iniqui- 
tatis,  et  in  tanta  ruina  pietatis,  talem  nobis  dedit  in  isthac 
veneranda  canitie  testem  sui  Evangelii  veritati.  Infelix  quern 
tanti  viri,  tarn  gravis  et  innocentis,  pietas  et  constans  con- 
fessio  nihil  permovere  possunt  ad  cognoscendam  veritatem 
Dei.  Non  peto  jam,  frater,  ut  mihi  quicquam  rescribas, 
multum  enim  vereor  ne  literse  intercipiantur :  quanquam  scias 
mihi  de  tua  constantia  et  fortitudine  in  Domini  causa  audire 
semper  fore  gratissimum.  Et  ut  tuse  fraternitati  hactenus 
non  rescripserim,  bis  tamen  (ut  potui)  tibi  significandum  cu- 
ravi  quod  a  me  in  tuis  literis  cognoscere  voluisti.  Nee  adhuc 
profecto,  frater,  possum  animum  meum  mutare :  tot  enim  mihi 
videre  videor  pericula,  quse  me  impellunt  ut  consulam,  ne 
tuarum  lucubrationum  editionem  festinare  velis,  saltern  sub 
titulo  nominis  tui.  Multum  enim  vereor  ne  hac  occasione  et 
tibi  os  obstruatur  in  posterum,  et  aliis  quoque  captivis  omnia 
auferantur,  quibus  alioqui  multis,  Deo  ita  volente,  poterunt 
prodesse.  Bene  vale  in  Domino,  charissime  frater,  et  siqui 
alii  in  vestris  sedibus  sunt  vobiscum  in  causa  Christi  concap- 
tivi,  precor  illis  meo  nomine  salutem,  uti  possis,  velis  im- 
partiri;  et  omnium  vestrum  precibus  apud  Dominum  me 
atque  meos  concaptivos  in  Domino  etiam  atque  etiam  humil- 
lime  commendo ;  et  rursus  atque  in  seternum  in  Christo  bene 
vale,  frater  charissime. 


LETTER    X.        (COVERDALE.) 

To  MASTER  BRADFORD,  Prisoner  in  the  King's  Bench. 

WELL  beloved  in  Christ  our  Saviour,  we  all  with  one 
heart  wish  you,  with  all  those  that  love  God  in  deed  and 
truth,  grace  and  health;  and  specially  to  our  dearly  beloved 
companions,  which  are  in  Christ's  cause,  and  the  cause  both 
of  their  brethren  and  their  own  salvation,  ready  and  willing 
to  put  their  neck  under  the  yoke  of  Christ's  cross.  How 
joyful  it  was  to  us  to  hear  the  report  of  Doctor  Taylor, 
and  of  his  godly  confession,  &c.,  I  ensure a  you  it  is  hard 


LETTERS     OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  359 

for  mo  to  express.  Blessed  be  God  which  was,  and  is,  the 
giver  of  that  and  all  godly  strength  and  stomach  in  the  time 
of  adversity.  As  for  the  rumours  that  have  and  do  go  abroad, 
either  of  our  relenting  or  massing,  we  trust  that  they  which 
know  God  and  their  duty  towards  their  brethren  in  Christ, 
will  not  be  too  light  of  credit  to  believe  them.  It  is  not  the 
slanderer's  evil  tongue,  but  a  man's  own  evil  deed,  that  can 
with  God  defile  a  man  ;  and  therefore,  by  God's  grace,  you 
shall  never  have  cause  to  do  otherwise  than  you  say  you  do, 
that  is,  not  to  doubt  but  that  we  will  continue,  &c.  Like 
rumour  as  you  have  heard  of  our  coming  to  London,  hath 
been  here  spread  of  the  coming  of  certain  learned  men 
prisoners  hither  from  London  ;  but  as  yet  we  know  no  cer 
tainty  whether  of  these  rumours  is  or  shall  be  more  true. 
Know  you,  that  we  have  you  in  our  daily  remembrance,  and 
wish  you  and  all  the  rest  of  our  aforesaid  companions  well  in 
Christ.  It  should  do  us  much  comfort,  if  we  might  have 
knowledge  of  the  state  of  the  rest  of  our  most  dearly  beloved, 
which  in  this  troublesome  time  do  stand  in  Christ's  cause, 
and  in  the  defence  of  the  truth  thereof.  We  are  in  good 
health,  thanks  be  to  God,  and  yet  the  manner  of  our  treat 
ment  doth  change  as  sour  ale  doth  in  summer.  It  is  reported 
to  us  of  our  keepers,  that  the  University  beareth  us  heavily  b.  ' 
A  coal  chanced  to  fall  in  the  night  out  of  the  chimney, 
and  burnt  a  hole  in  the  floor,  and  no  more  harm  was  done, 
the  bailiffs'  servants  sitting  by  the  fire.  Another  night  there 
chanced  a  drunken  fellow  to  multiply  words,  and  for  the  same 
he  was  set  in  Bocardo.  Upon  these  things,  as  is  reported,  Bocardo  is 

1  &  ' 


there  is  risen  a  rumour  in  the  town  and  country  about,  that  an(1  rilthv 

•  prison  for 


a  stinking 

at 

we  would  have  broken  the  prison  with  such  violence  as, 
the  bailiffs  had  not  played  the  pretty  men,  we  should  have  to*10**  and 

1      J  •  the  vilest 

made  an  escape.  We  had  out  of  our  prison  a  wall  that  we  s° 
might  have  walked  upon,  and  our  servants  had  liberty  to 
go  abroad  in  the  town  or  fields  ;  but  now  both  they  and 
we  are  restrained  of  both.  The  Bishop  of  Worcester  passed 
by  us  through  Oxford,  but  he  did  not  visit  us.  The  same 
day  began  our  restraint  to  be  more,  and  the  Book  of  the 
Communion  was  taken  from  us  by  the  bailiffs  at  the  mayor's 
commandment.  No  man  is  licensed  to  come  unto  us.  Afore 
they  might,  that  would,  see  us  upon  the  wall  ;  but  that  is  so 


360  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    KIDLEY. 

grudged  at,  and  so  evil  reported,  that  we  are  now  restrained, 
&c.  Sir,  blessed  be  God,  with  all  our  evil  reports,  grudg- 
ings,  and  restraints,  we  are  merry  in  God;  and  all  our  care 
is,  and  shall  be  by  God's  grace,  to  please  and  serve  him,  of 
whom  we  look  and  hope,  after  this  temporal  and  momentary 
miseries,  to  have  eternal  joy  and  perpetual  felicity  with  Abra 
ham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  Peter,  and  Paul,  and  all  the  blessed 
company  of  the  angels  in  heaven,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  As  yet  there  was  never  learned  man,  or  any  scholar 
or  other,  that  visited  us  since  we  came  into  Bocardo,  which 
now  in  Oxford  may  be  called  a  college  of  quondams;  for  as 
you  know,  we  be  no  fewer  here  than  three,  and  I  dare  say, 
every  one  well  contented  with  his  portion,  which  I  do  reckon 
to  be  our  heavenly  Father's  gracious  and  fatherly  good  gift. 
Thus  fare  you  well.  We  shall,  with  God's  grace,  one  day 
meet  together  and  be  merry :  the  day  assuredly  approacheth 
apace.  The  Lord  grant  that  it  may  shortly  come  ;  for  before 
the  day  come,  I  fear  the  world  will  wax  worse  and  worse. 
But  then  all  our  enemies  shall  be  overthrown  and  trodden 
under  foot,  righteousness  and  truth  then  shall  have  the  victory, 
and  bear  the  bell  away;  whereof  the  Lord  grant  us  to  be 
partners,  and  all  that  sincerely  love  the  truth.  We  all  pray 
you,  as  you  can,  to  cause  all  our  commendations  to  be  made 
to  all  such,  as  you  know  did  visit  us  and  you  when  we  were 
in  the  Tower  with  their  friendly  remembrances  and  benefits. 
Mistress  Wilkinson  and  Mistress  Warcup  have  not  for 
gotten  us;  but  even  since  we  came  into  Bocardo,  with  their 
charitable  and  friendly  benevolence  have  comforted  us :  not 
that  else  we  lack,  (for  God  be  blessed,  which  ever  hitherto 
hath  provided  sufficiently  for  us,)  but  it  is  a  great  comfort 
and  an  occasion  for  us  to  bless  God,  when  we  see  that  he 
maketh  them  so  friendly  to  tender  us,  whom  some  of  us 
were  never  familiarly  acquainted  withal. 

Yours  in  Christ,  N.  R. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


LETTER    XI.       (COVERDALE.) 


361 


To  ARCHBISHOP  CRANMER  and  BISHOP  LATIMER,  being 
separated  from  him,  and  prisoners  in  several &  places,        -separate. 

THE  cause  of  my  brother's  imprisonment  is  this,  so  far 
as  I  can  perceive.  There  is  a  young  man  called  Mr  Grim- 
bold,  which  was  my  chaplain,  a  preacher,  and  a  man  of 
much  eloquence  both  in  the  English  and  also  in  the  Latin. 
To  this  man,  being  desirous  of  all  things  which  I  had  writ 
ten  and  done  since  the  beginning  of  mine  imprisonment, 
my  brother  (as  is  said)  hath  sent  copies,  no  more  butb  of 'than. 
all  things  that  I  have  done.  First,  a  little  treatise  which 
Mr  Latimer  and  I  wrote  in  the  Tower;  where  there  is  be 
fore  my  sayings,  N.  R.  and  before  Mr  Latimer,  H.  L.1  Also 
another  draught,  which  I  drew  out  of  the  Evangelists  and 
of  St  Paul,  that  the  words  of  the  Lord's  Supper  are  figu 
ratively  to  be  understood ;  alleging  out  of  the  doctors  only 
six,  three  of  the  Greek  church,  which  are  Origen,  Chrysost. 
ad  Cesa.  monachum,  and  Theodoret ;  and  three  of  the  Latin 
church,  Tertulliari,  Augustine,  and  Gelasius.  He  had  of  my 
brother  also  a  copy  of  my  Three  Positions  to  the  Three 
Questions  here  propounded  to  us  at  Oxford.  Then  also  a 
copy  of  my  disputation  in  the  Schools,  as  I  wrote  it  my 
self  after  the  disputation.  Item  the  letter,  Ad  fratres  in 
diversis  carceribus.  All  these  things  they  have  gotten  of 
Grimbold,  as  my  brother  doth  suppose ;  not  that  Grimbold 
hath  betrayed  him,  but  (as  is  supposed)  one  which  my  brother 
trusted  to  carry  his  letters  unto  Grimbold :  for  it  will  not 
sink  into  my  head  to  think  that  Grimbold  would  ever  play 
me  such  a  Judas's  part.  Although  these  things  are  chanced 
far  otherwise  than  I  had  thought  they  should,  (for  my  mind 
was  that  they  should  not  have  come  abroad  until  my  body 
had  been  laid  to  rest  in  peace,)  yet  truly  I  suppose  this  is 
not  thus  chanced  without  God's  gracious  providence,  which 
lie  hath  over  all  his,  and  I  trust  that  God  of  his  goodness 
shall  turn  it  to  his  own  glory.  For  it  shall  evidently  appear 
to  the  reader  of  these  things  which  they  have,  that  the  cause 
why  I  do  dissent  from  the  Romish  religion  is  not  any  study 

p  "  The  conferences  with  Hugh  Latimer."    ED.]     , 


S62  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

of  vain  glory  or  of  singularity,  but  of  conscience,  of  my 
bound  duty  towards  God  and  towards  Christ's  church,  and 
the  salvation  of  mine  own  soul;  for  the  which,  by  God's 
grace,  I  will  willingly  jeopard  here  to  lose  life,  land,  and 
goods,  name  and  fame,  and  what  else  is  or  can  be  unto  me 
pleasant  in  this  world.  My  brother  as  yet,  because  they 
neither  shewed  any  commission  or  authority  whereby  they 
did  examine  him,  nor  also  anything  of  his  letters  (although 
they  said  they  had  them),  as  yet  I  say  my  brother  hath 
confessed  nothing.  But  I  look  for  none  other  but  he  shall 
be  forced  to  tell  where  he  had  the  copies,  and  where  they 
be,  and  I  will  be  content  that  he  shall  say  the  truth,  that 
he  had  them  all  of  me ;  let  them  come  and  take  them,  and 
cast  them  into  the  fire,  if  God  know  they  will  promote  his 
glory ;  they  can  do  no  more  than  he  will  suffer  them.  Be 
cause  in  the  book  of  N.  E.  and  H.  L.  it  is  said  in  the  end, 
that  H.  L.  hath  caused  his  servant  to  write  it ;  I  would 
Austin1  should  have  word,  if  any  further  search  be,  to  keep 
himself.  himc  out  of  the  way.  God  shall  reward  you  both  for  my 
brother ;  you,  my  lord  of  Canterbury,  for  your  meat  and  daily 
comfort,  and  you,  father  L.  for  your  money  and  comfortable 
messages.  I  trust  in  God  my  brother,  though  he  be  young, 
yet  will  study  to  learn  to  bear  Christ's  cross  patiently,  as  a 
young  scholar  in  Christ's  school.  God  increase  his  grace  in 
us  all.  Amen. 


LETTER    XII.        (COVERDALE.) 

Letter  from  DOCTOR  RIDLEY  to  the  ARCHBISHOP  OF  CAN 
TERBURY  (Cranmer). 

I  WISH  ye  might  have  seen  these  mine  answers  before 
I  had  delivered  them,  that  ye  might  have  corrected  them. 
But  I  trust,  in  the  substance  of  the  matter  we  do  agree 
fully,  both  led  by  one  Spirit  of  truth,  and  both  walking  after 
one  rule  of  God's  word.  It  is  said,  that  Sergeant  Morgan2, 

Q1  Augustine  Bernelicr.     ED.] 

[2  Sergeant  Morgan,  after  the  trial  of  Lady  Jane  Grey,  is  said  to 
have  had  her  figure  continually  before  his  eyes,  and  to  have  cried  out 
incessantly,  "Take  away  the  Lady  Jane."  ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  363 

the  chief  justice  of  the  Common  Pleas,  is  gone  mad.  It  is 
said  also,  that  Justice  Hales  hath  recanted,  perverted  by 
Doctor  Moreman.  Item,  that  Master  Eogers,  Doctor 
Crome,  and  Master  Bradford,  shall  be  had  to  Cambridge, 
and  there  be  disputed  with  as  we  were  here ;  and  that  the 
doctors  of  Oxford  shall  go  likewise  thither,  as  Cambridge  u>puta 

&     tions  in 

men  came  hither.     When  you  have  read  mine  answers,  send  j 
them  again  to  Austin,  except  ye  will  put  any  thing  to  them.  M- c- 
I  trust,  the  day  of  our  delivery  out  of  all  miseries,  and  of 
our  entrance  into  perpetual  rest,  and  unto  perpetual  joy  and 
felicity,   draweth    nigh.     The    Lord    strengthen   us   with  his 
mighty  Spirit  of  grace  ! 

If  you  have  not  what  to  write  with,  you  must  make  your 
man  your  friend.  And  this  bearer  deserveth  to  be  rewarded, 
so  he  may  and  will  do  you  pleasure.  My  man  is  trusty ; 
but  it  grieveth  both  him  and  me,  that  when  I  send  him  with 
any  thing  to  you,  your  man  will  not  let  him  come  up  to  see 
you,  as  he  may  to  Master  Latimer,  and  yours  to  me.  I 
have  a  promise  to  see  how  my  answers  were  written  in  the 
schools,  but  as  yet  I  cannot  come  by  it.  Pray  for  me,  I  be 
seech  you,  and  so  shall  I  for  you.  The  Lord  have  mercy 
of  his  church,  and  lighten  the  eyes  of  the  magistrates,  that 
God's  extreme  plagues  light  not  on  this  realm  of  England  ! 

TURX  OR  BURX. 


LETTER    XIII.        (COYERDALE.) 

To  MASTER  BRADFORD. 

DEARLY   beloved,   I  wish   you  grace,  mercy,  and  peace. 
According  to  your  mind  I  have  run  over  all  your  papers3,  and  This  was 

0  .      *  a  treatise  of 

what  1  have  done,  (which  is  but  small.)  therein  may  appear. thc  com- 

.  .  munion, 

Sir,  what  shall  best  be  done  with  these  things,  now  you  must  wKhoi 
consider :  for  if  they  come  in  sight  at  this  time,  undoubtedly 
they  must  to  the  fire  with  their  father ;  and  as  for  any  safe-  f®nte*°  geim 
guard  that  your  custody  can  be  unto  them,  I  am  sure  you  J^0/™® 
look  not  for  it :  for  as  you  have  been  partner  of  the  works,  J^^cP' 

P  The  treatise  in  question  was  first  printed  in  1574,  and  afterwards 
with  a  preface  by  Thos.  Sampson,  A.  D.  1581.    ED.] 


364  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

so,  I  am  sure,  you  look  for  none  other  but  to  have  and 
receive  like  wages,  and  to  drink  of  the  same  cup.  Blessed 
be  God,  that  hath  given  you  liberty  in  the  mean  season, 
that  you  may  use  your  pen  to  his  glory,  and  to  the  comfort 
(as  I  hear  say)  of  many.  I  bless  God  daily  in  you  and  all 
your  whole  company,  to  whom  I  beseech  you  to  commend 
me  heartily.  Now  I  love  my  countryman  in  deed  and  in 
truth,  I  mean  Doctor  Taylor,  not  now  for  my  earthly  country's 
sake,  but  for  our  heavenly  Father's  sake,  whom  (I  heard 
say)  he  did  so  stoutly  in  time  of  peril  confess ;  and  yet 
also  now  for  our  country's  sake,  and  for  all  our  mother's 
sake,  but  I  mean  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  of  heavenly 
Jerusalem,  and  because  of  the  Spirit  which  bringeth  in  him, 
in  you,  and  in  your  company,  such  blessed  fruits  of  holiness 
in  the  Lord's  cause,  of  patience,  and  constancy.  The  Lord 
which  hath  begun  this  work  in  you  all,  perform  and  perfect 
this  his  own  deed  until  his  own  day  come.  Amen. 

As  yet,  I  perceive  you  have  not  been  baited l ;  and  the 
cause  thereof  God  knoweth ;  which  will  let  them  do  no  more 

a blessed,  to  his,  than  is  his  pleased*  will  and  good  pleasure  to  suffer 
them  to  do  for  his  own  glory,  and  to  the  profit  of  them 
which  be  truly  his.  For  the  Father  which  doth  guide  them 
that  be  Christ's  to  Christ,  is  more  mighty  than  all  they, 
and  no  man  is  able  to  pull  them  out  of  the  Father's  hands. 
Except,  I  say,  it  please  our  Father,  it  please  our  Master 
Christ  to  suffer  them,  they  shall  not  be  able  to  stir  one  hair 
of  your  heads.  My  brother  P.2,  the  bearer  hereof,  would 
that  '  we  should  say  what  we  think  good  concerning  your 

» purpose.  mindb:  that  is,  not  for  to  answer,  except  ye  might  have 
somewhat  indifferent  judges.  We  are  (as  ye  know)  sepa 
rated,  and  one  of  us  cannot  in  any  thing  consult  with 
another,  and  much  strait  watching  of  the  bailiffs  is  about 
us,  that  there  be  no  privy  conference  amongst  us.  And  yet 

c have  more  (as  we  hear)  the  scholars  bear  us  more  heavily6  than   the 

ill  will.  p  * 

townsmen.     A  wonderful  thing !   among  so  many,  never  yet 

E1  It  was  intended,  though  the  design  was  never  carried  into  exe 
cution,  to  carry  Bradford,  Hooper,  Farrar,  Taylor,  and  others,  to  Cam 
bridge,  to  hold  a  public  disputation  there,  as  had  been  done  with  Ridley, 
Cranmer  and  Latimer  at  Oxford.  See  the  preceding  letter.  ED.] 

[2  Probably  William  Punt.    ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


365 


scholar  offered  to  any  of  us  (so  far  as  I  know)  any  manner 
of  favour,  either  for  or  in  Christ's  cause.  Now,  as  con 
cerning  your  demand  of  our  counsel ;  for  my  part,  I  do  not 
mislike  that  which  I  perceive  ye  are  minded  to  do :  for  I 
look  for  none  other  but,  if  ye  answer  before  the  same  com 
missioners  that  we  did,  ye  shall  be  served  and  handled  as 
we  were,  though  ye  were  as  well  learned  as  ever  was  either 
Peter  or  Paul.  And  yet  further,  I  think  that  occasion  after 
wards  may  be  given  you,  and  the  consideration  of  the  profit 
of  your  auditory  may,  perchance,  move  you  to  do  otherwise. 
Finally,  detenninately  to  say  what  shall  be  best,  I  am  not 
able :  but  I  trust  He,  whose  cause  ye  have  in  hand,  shall  put 
you  in  mind  to  do  that  which  shall  be  most  for  his  glory, 
the  profit  of  his  flock,  and  your  own  salvation.  This  letter 
must  be  common  to  you  and  Mr  Hooper,  in  whom  and  in  his 
prison-fellow,  good  father  Crome,  I  bless  God  even  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart ;  for  I  doubt  not  but  they  both  do 
to  our  Master  Christ  true,  acceptable  and  honourable  service, 
and  profitable  to  his  flock,  the  one  with  his  pen,  and  the 
other  with  his  fatherly  example  of  patience  and  constancy 
and  all  manner  of  true  godliness.  But  what  shall  I  need 
to  say  to  you,  Let  this  be  common  among  your  brethren  ? 
among  whom,  I  dare  say,  it  is  with  you,  as  it  is  with  us, 
to  whom  all  things  here  are  common :  meat,  money,  and 
whatsoever  one  of  us  hath,  that  can  or  may  do  another  good. 
Although  I  said  the  bailiffs  and  our  hosts  straitly  watch 
us,  that  we  have  no  conference  or  intelligence  of  anything 
abroad,  yet  hath  God  provided  for  every  one  of  us  in  the 
stead  of  our  servants  faithful  fellows  which  will  be  content 
to  hear  and  see,  and  to  do  for  us  whatsoever  they  can.  It 
is  God^s  work  surely,  blessed  be  God  for  his  unspeakable 
goodness.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love 
of  God,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be  with  you 
all.  Amen,  Amen.  As  far  as  London  is  from  Oxford,  yet 
thence  we  have  received  of  late  both  meat,  money,  and  shirts ; 
not  only  from  such  as  are  of  our  acquaintance,  but  of  some 
whom  this  bearer  can  tell,  with  whom  I  had  never  to  my 
knowledge  any  acquaintance.  I  know  for  whose  sake  they 
do  it :  to  him,  therefore,  be  all  honour,  glory,  and  clue  thanks. 
And  yet,  I  pray  you  do  so  much  as  to  shew  them  that  we 


366  LETTERS    OF     BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

have  received  their  benevolence,  and  (God  be  blessed)  have 
plenty  of  all  such  things.  This  I  desire  you  to  do,  for  I 
know  they  be  of  Mr  Hooper's  and  your  familiar  acquaintance. 
Mr  Latimer  was  crazedd,  but  I  hear  now,  thanks  be  to  God, 
that  he  amendeth  again. 

Yours  in  Christ, 

N.  R. 


LETTER  XIV.     (COVERDALE.) 
To  MASTER  BRADFORD. 

BROTHER  BRADFORD,  I  wish  you  and  your  company  in 
Christ,  yea,  and  all  the  holy  brotherhood,  that  now  with  you 
in  divers  prisons  suffereth  and  beareth  patiently  Christ's  cross 
for  the  maintenance  of  his  gospel,  grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
from  God  the  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Sir, 
considering  the  state  of  this  chivalry  and  warfare,  wherein  I 
doubt  not  but  we  be  set  to  fight  under  Christ's  banner  and 
his  cross  against  our  ghostly  enemy  the  devil,  and  the  old 
serpent  Satan,  methink  I  perceive  two  things  to  be  his  most 
perilous  and  most  dangerous  engines  which  he  hath  to  im 
pugn  Christ's  verity,  his  Gospel,  his  faith :  and  the  same  two 
also  to  be  the  most  massy  posts  and  most  mighty  pillars, 
whereby  he  maintaineth  and  upholdeth  his  Satanical  synagogue. 
These  two,  sir,  are  they  in  my  judgment :  the  one  his  false 
doctrine  and  idolatrical  use  of  the  Lord's  supper ;  and  the 
other,  the  wicked  and  abominable  usurpation  of  the  primacy 
of  the  see  of  Rome.  By  these  two  Satan  seemeth  to  me 
principally  to  maintain  and  uphold  his  kingdom :  by  these 

Apoc.  viii.  two,  he  driveth  down  mightily  (alas !  I  fear  me),  the  third 
part  of  the  stars  in  heaven.  These  two  poisonful  rotten  posts 
he  hath  so  painted  over  with  such  a  pretence  and  colour  of 
religion,  of  unity  in  Christ's  church,  of  the  catholic  faith,  and 
such  like,  that  the  wily  serpent  is  able  to  deceive,  if  it  were 
possible,  even  the  elect  of  God.  Wherefore  John  said  not 

Apoc.  ii.  without  great  cause,  "  If  any  know  not  Satan's  subtilities 
and  the  dungeons  thereof,  I  will  wish  him  no  other  burden 
to  be  laden  withal."  Sir,  because  these  be  his  principal  and 
main  posts  whereupon  standeth  all  his  falsehood,  craft,  and 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


367 


treachery ;  therefore,  according  to  the  poor  power  that  God 
hath  given  me,  I  have  bended  mine  artillery  to  shoot  at  the 
same.  I  know  it  to  be  little  (God  knoweth)  that  I  can  do ; 
and  of  my  shot  I  know  they  passa  not.  Yet  will  I  not  (God  -regard, 
willing)  cease  to  do  the  best  that  I  can,  to  shake  those 
cankered  and  rotten  posts.  The  Lord  grant  me  good  suc 
cess,  to  the  glory  of  his  name,  and  the  furtherance  of  Christ's 
Gospel.  I  have  now  already  (I  thank  God)  for  this  present 
time  spent  a  good  part  of  my  powder  in  these  scribblings, 
whereof  this  bearer  shall  give  you  knowledge.  Good  brother 
Bradford,  let  the  wicked  surmise  and  say  what  they  list ; 
know  you  for  a  certainty  by  God's  grace,  without  all  doubt, 
that  in  Christ's  Gospel's  cause,  against  and  upon  the  foresaid 
God's  enemies,  I  am  fully  determined  to  live  and  die.  Fare 
well,  dear  brother;  and  I  beseech  you  and  all  the  rest  of 
our  brethren,  to  have  good  remembrance  of  the  condemned 
heretics  (as  they  call  them)  of  Oxford  in  your  prayers.  The 
bearer  shall  certify  you  of  our  state.  Farewell  in  the  Lord. 
From  Bocardo.  Yours  in  Christ,  N.  R. 


LETTER  XV.     (COVERDALE.) 
To  MASTER  BRADFORD. 

DEARLY  beloved  brother,  blessed  be  God  our  heavenly 
Father  for  his  manifold  and  innumerable  mercies  towards  us ; 
and  blessed  might  he  be  that  hath  spared  us  long  together, 
that  each  one  of  us  may  bless  his  mercy  and  clemency  in 
other,  unto  this  day,  above  the  expectation  and  hope  of  any 
worldly  appearance. 

Whereas  you  write  of  the  outrageous  rule  that  Satan,  our 
ghostly  enemy,  beareth  abroad  in  the  world,  whereby  he  stir- 
reth  and  raiseth  so  pestilent  and  heinous  heresies,  as  some 
to  deny  the  blessed  Trinity,  some  the  divinity  of  our  Saviour 
Christ,  some  the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  some  the  bap 
tism  of  infants,  some  original  sin,  and  to  be  infected  with  the 
errors  of  the  Pelagians,  and  to  re-baptize  those  that  have  been 
baptized  with  Christ's  baptism  already;  alas,  Sir,  this  doth 
declare  this  time  and  these  days  to  be  wicked  indeed  !  But 


368  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

what  can  we  look  for  else  of   Satan  here,  and   of  his  mi 

nisters,  but  to  do  the  worst  that  they  can,  so  far  forth  as 

God  shall  or  will  suffer  them  2    And  now,  methink,  he  is  less 

to  be  marvelled  at  at  this  time,  if  he  bestir  him  by  all  man 

ner  of  means,  that  the  truth  indeed  do  take  no  place.     For 

he  seeth  now,  blessed  be  God  !    that  some  go  about  in  deed 

and  in  truth,  not  trifling,  but  with  the  loss  of  all  that  they 

are  able  to  lose  in  this  world,  goods,  lands,  name,  fame,  and 

life  also,  to  set  forth  God's  word  and  his  truth  ;  and  by  God's 

grace  shall  do,  and  abide  in  the  same  unto  the  end  :   now 

therefore  it  is  time  to  bestir  him,  I  trow.     And  as  for  the 

diversity  of  errors,  what  careth  he  though  one  be  never  so 

contrary  to  another?    He  reckoneth  all  (and  so  he  may)  to 

be  his,  whosoever  prevail,  so  that  truth  prevail  not.     Never 

theless,  good  brother,  I  suppose  that  the  universal  plague  is 

most  dangerous,  which  at  this  day  is  (alas  !)  fostered   and 

masterfully  holden  up  by  wit,  worldly  policy,  multitude  of  peo 

ple,  power,  and  all  worldly  means.     As  for  other  the  devil's 

en<£fo7  ga^ropesa  that  he  casteth  in  our  ways  by  some  of  his  busy- 

SvaTry'      headed  younkers,  I  trust  they  shall  never  be  able  to  do  the 

M.  c.          multitude  so  great  harm.    For,  blessed  be  God  !  these  heresies 

before  time,  when  Satan  by  his  servants  hath  been  about  to 

broach  them,  have  by  God's  servants  already  been  so  sharply 

and  truly  confounded,  that  the  multitude  was  never  infected 

with  them,  or  else,  where  they  have  been  infected,  they  are 

He  meaneth  healed  again,  that  now  the  peril  is  not  so  great.     And  where 

matter  of     you  say,  that  if  your  request  had  been  heard,  things   (you 

tion,  where-  think)  had  been  in  better  case  than  they  be  :  know  you  that 

of  he  after-  J  ,  ,  J 

ward  wrote  concerning  the  matter  you  mean,  I  have  in  Latin  drawn  out 
comfortable  the  places  of  the  Scriptures,  and  upon  the  same  have  noted 

treatise,  re-  L  * 


••«••« 

what  I  can  for  tiie  time.     Sir,  in  those  matters  I  am  so  fear- 
in  the  hands 

hereafter^  ^'  ^at  I  dare  not  speak  farther,  yea,  almost  none  otherwise, 
shall  come    than  the  very  text  doth  as  it  were  lead  me  by  the  hand.     And 

to  light,  if  *  » 

God  so  will,  where  you  exhort  us  to  help,  &c.  ;  0  Lord,  what  is  else  in 
this  world  that  we  now  should  list  to  do?  I  bless  my  Lord 
God,  I  never  (as  methinketh),  had  more  nor  better  leisure 
to  be  occupied  with  my  pen  in  such  things  as  I  can  do,  to 
set  forth  (when  they  may  come  to  light)  God's  glory.  And 
I  bless  my  Lord  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  my  heart  and 
my  work  are  therein  occupied,  not  so  fully  and  perfectly  as 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


369 


I  would,  but  yet  so  as  I  bless  God  for  the  same.  Farewell, 
dear  brother ;  the  messenger  tarrieth,  and  I  may  not  now  be 
longer  with  you.  The  Lord,  I  trust  verily,  shall  bring  us 
thither,  where  we  shall  each  one  with  other  in  Christ  our 
Saviour  rejoice  and  be  merry  everlastingly. 

Your  brother  in  Christ,  N.  K. 


LETTER  XVI.     (COVERDALE.) 
To  MASTER  BRADFORD, 

DEARLY  beloved  brother  Bradford,  I  had  thought  of  late 
:tliat  I  had  written  unto  you  your  last  farewell,  (until  we 
should  have  met  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,)  by  our  dear 
brother  Austin:  and  I  sent  it  to  meet  you  in  Lancashire; 
whither,  it  was  said  here,  you  were  appointed  to  be  sent  to 
suffer.  But  now,  since  they  have  changed  their  purpose, 
and  prolonged'"1  your  death,  I  understand  it  is  no  other « deferred. 
thing  than  that  once  happened  to  Peter  and  Paul.  The 
which,  although  they  were  of  the  first  which  were  cast  in 
prison,  and  as  little  shunned  peril  as  any  other  did,  yet 
God  would  not  have  them  put  to  death  with  the  first,  be 
cause  he  had  more  service  to  be  done  by  their  ministry, 
which  his  gracious  pleasure  was  they  should  do.  So  with 
out  doubt,  dear  brother,  I  am  persuaded  that  the  same  is 
the  cause  of  the  delay  of  your  martyrdom.  Blessed  be  the 
Holy  Trinity,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
for  your  threefold  confession.  I  have  read  all  three  with 
great  comfort  and  joy,  and  thanksgiving  unto  God  for  his 
manifold  gifts  of  grace,  wherewith  it  is  manifest  to  the 
godly  reader  that  GOD  did  assist  you  mightily.  And  blessed 
be  God  again  and  again,  which  gave  you  so  good  a  mind 
and  remembrance  of  your  oath  once  made  against  the  bishop 
of  Borne,  lest  you  should  be  partaker  of  the  common  per 
jury  which  all  men  almost  are  now  fallen  into,  in  bringing 
in  again  that  wicked  usurped  power  of  his.  Which  oath 
was  made  according  to  the  prophet,  "  in  judgment,  in  right-  Jcr.  \v. 
eousness,  and  in  truth ;  "  and  therefore  cannot  without  perjury 
be  revoked,  let  Satan  roar  and  rage,  and  practise  all  the 

24 
[RIDLEY.] 


370  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

cruelty  he  can.  Oh,  good  Lord,  that  they  are  so  busy  with 
you  about  the  church !  It  is  no  new  thing,  brother,  that 
is  happened  unto  you;  for  that  was  always  the  clamour  of 
the  wicked  bishops  and  priests  against  God's  true  prophets: 
"The  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  the 
temple  of  the  Lord:"  and  they  said,  "The  law  shall  not 
depart  from  the  priest,  nor  wisdom  from  the  elder:"  and  yet 
singularly,  in  them  whom  they  onlyb  esteemed  for  their  priests  and 
sages,  there  was  neither  God's  law  nor  godly  wisdom.  It  is 
a  marvellous  thing  to  hear  what  vain  communication  is  spread 
abroad  of  you.  It  is  said  here,  that  you  be  pardoned  your 
life ;  and  when  you  were  appointed  to  be  banished  and  to  go, 
(1  cannot  tell  whither)  you  should  say  that  you  had  rather 
here  suffer,  than  go  where  you  could  not  live  after  your  con>- 
science ;  and  that  this  pardon  should  be  begged  for  you  by 
Bourne,  the  bishop  of  Bath,  for  that  you  saved  his  life1.  Again, 
some  say,  and  among  other  mine  host  reported,  that  you 
are  highly  promoted,  and  are  a  great  man  with  my  lord 
chancellor.  This  I  could  not  believe,  but  did  deny  it  as  a 
false  lie :  so  surely  was  I  always  persuaded  of  your  constancy. 
What  God  will  do  with  us,  he  knoweth.  In  the  mean  time, 
wonderful  it  is  to  behold  how  the  wisdom  of  GOD  hath  in 
fatuated  the  policy  of  the  world,  and  scattered  the  crafty 
devices  of  the  worldly  wise.  For  when  the  state  of  religion 
was  once  altered,  and  persecution  began  to  wax  whole0,  no 
man  doubted  but  Cranmer,  Latimer,  and  Ridley,  should  have 
been  the  first  to  have  been  called  to  the  stake.  But  the 
subtle  policy  of  the  world,  setting  us  apart,  first  assaulted 
them  by  whose  infirmity  they  thought  to  have  more  advan 
tage  ;  but  God  disappointed  their  subtle  purpose.  For  whom 
the  world  esteemed  weakest  (praised  be  God),  they  have 
found  most  strong,  sound  and  valiant,  in  Christ's  cause, 
unto  the  death;  to  give  such  an  onset  as,  I  dare  say,  all 
the  angels  in  heaven  do  no  less  rejoice  to  behold  in  them, 
than  they  did  in  the  victorious  constancy  of  Peter,  Paul, 

I1  Immediately  after  the  accession  of  Queen  Mary,  bishop  Bourne  was 
appointed  to  preach  at  Paul's  Cross.  In  his  sermon  he  spoke  so  much 
against  the  late  King  Edward  VI.  and  the  reformation,  that  a  tumult 
was  excited,  and  he  would  probably  have  suffered  injury,  had  not 
Bradford  stood  forward  and  protected  him.  ED.] 


LETTERS  OF  BISHOP  RIDLEY.  3  71 

Esay,  Elias,  or  Jeremy.     "  For  greater  love  no  man  hath,  John  xv. 
than  to  bestow  his  life,"  &c.     Good  brother,  have  me  and 
us   all    continually   in    your    remembrance    to    God   in   your 
prayers,  as,  God  willing,  we  shall  not  be  in  our  prayers  for 
getful  of  you. 

•Your  own  in  Christ,  N.  E. 


LETTER  XVII.     (COVERDALE.) 
To  MASTER  BRADFORD. 

BROTHER  BRADFORD,  I  wish  you  in  Christ  our  Saviour 
grace,  mercy  and  peace,  and  to  all  them  which  are  with 
you  or  any  where  else  captives  in  Christ;  and  to  hear  that 
ye  be  all  in  good  health,  and  stand  constantly  in  the  con 
fession  of  Christ's  gospel,  it  doth  heartily  rejoice  us.  Know 
you  likewise  that  we  all  here  be  (thanks  be  to  God !)  in 
good  health  and  comfort,  watching  with  our  lamps  alight  (I 
trust  in  God),  when  it  shall  please  our  master,  the  bride-  Matt.  \\\ 
groom,  to  call  us  to  wait  upon  him  unto  the  marriage. 
Now,  we  suppose,  the  day  doth  approach  apace,  for  we 
hear  that  the  parliament  is  dissolved.  The  burgesses  of 
Oxford  are  come  home,  and  other  news  we  hear  not,  but 
that  the  king  is  made  protector  to  the  prince  to  be  born, 
and  that  the  bishops  have  full  authority,  ex  officio,  to  inquire 
of  heresies.  Before  the  parliament  began,  it  was  a  rumour 
here,  that  certain  from  the  convocation  house  was  appointed, 
yea,  ready  to  have  come  to  Oxford,  and  then  there  was  spied 
out  one  thing  to  lack,  for  want  of  a  law  to  perform  their 
intent.  Now,  seeing  they  can  want  no  law,  we  cannot  but 
look  for  them  shortly :  I  trust  to  God's  glory,  let  them  come 
when  they  will ;  &c. 

Brother  Bradford,  I  marvel  greatly  of  good  Austin,  where 
he  is,  for  that  I  heard  say  he  promised  his  master  to  have 
been  here  before  this  time;  and  he  had  from  me  that  I 
would  be  loth  to  lose,  yea,  to  want,  when  time  shall  be  that 
it  might  do  (nay,  help  me  to  do)  my  lord  and  my  master 
Christ  service :  I  mean  my  scribblings  2de  abominationibus 

Q2  Concerning  the  abominations  of  the  Roman  see  and  of  the  Roman 
pontiffs.    ED.] 


372 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    IUDLF.Y. 


sedis  Romance  et  pontificum  Romanorum.  I  have  no  copy  of 
the  same,  and  I  look  daily  to  be  called  in  lcertamen  cum 
antiquo  serpente;  and  so  I  told  him  and,  I  ween,  you  also, 
by  whose  means  I  was  more  moved  to  let  him  have  them. 
I  doubt  not  of  his  fidelity.  I  pray  God  he  be  in  health 
and  at  liberty;  for  I  have  been  and  am  carefula  for  him.  I 
have  heard  that  Master  Grimbold3  hath  gotten  his  liberty; 
if  without  any  blemish  of  Christ's  glory,  I  am  right  glad 
thereof.  My  brother-in-law  is  where  he  was,  triat  is  in  Bo- 
cardo,  the  common  gaol  of  the  town.  I  have  written  here 
a  letter  to  Master  Hooper;  I  pray  you  cause  it  to  be  writ 
ten  to  him  again.  Commend  me  to  all  your  prison  fellows 
and  our  brethren  in  Christ.  If  Austin  were  here,  I  would 
have  had  more  to  say.  The  Lord  grant  that  all  be  with 
him  well;  who  ever  preserve  you,  and  all  that  love  our 
Saviour  Christ  in  sincerity  and  truth.  Amen. 

Yours,  by  God's  grace,  in  our  master  Christ's  cause,  unto 
the  stake;  and  thenceforth  without  all  danger  and  peril  for 
ever  and  ever.  I  am  sure  you  have  heard  of  our  new  ap 
parel,  and  I  doubt  not  but  London  will  have  their  talk  of  it. 
Sir,  know  you  that  although  this  seemeth  to  us  in  our  case 
much  thanks-worthy,  yet  have  we  not  that  apparel  that  we 
look  for :  for  this  in  time  will  wear ;  and  that  which  we 
look  for,  rightly  done  on,  will  endure,  and  is  called  stola 
immortalitatis3. 

N.  R. 


LETTER  XVIII.     (COVERDALE.) 

To  AUGUSTINE  BERNEHER,  then  servant  to  MASTER  LATIMER, 
and  now  a  faithful  minister  in  Chris  fs  church ;  to  whom, 
because  he  might  not  come  to  the  prison  to  speak  with 
him,  he  wrote  as  followeth. 

BROTHER  Austin,  you  are  heartily  welcome  to  Oxford 
again ;  you  have  made  good  speed  indeed ;  and  blessed  be 

[^  Into  conflict  with  the  old  serpent.    ED.] 

[2  "  Master  Grimbold."  This  man  had  been  one  of  Ridley's  chap 
lains,  but  turned  to  popery,  and  for  some  time  acted  as  a  spy  among 
those  who  were  in  prison  for  religion.  ED.] 

Q3  The  robe  of  immortality.    ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  S73 

God  for  his  gracious  goodness,  that  all  is  well  with  you. 
That  our  dearly  beloved  brethren  in  Christ  are  all  in  good 
comfort,  hearty  in  Chrisf  s  cause,  and  stand  stedfast  in  the 
confession  of  his  true  doctrine ;  it  rejoiceth  (I  ensurea "  assure. 
you)  my  heart  in  God  to  hear  of  it.  This  day  was  Doctor 
Oroke,  [the  Grecian4,]  with  me  [at  dinner5,]  and  both  he  and 
Mistress  Irish,  mine  hostess,  told  me  that  Master  Hooper 
is  hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered  for  treason;  but  I  did  not 
believe  them,  for  it  is  not  the  first  tale  that  mine  hostess 
hath  told  me  of  M.  Hooper.  And  I  trust  the  tidings  that 
were  here  spread  abroad  since  your  departure,  that  Master 
Grimbold  also  should  have  been  ararigned  and  condemned 
for  treason  to  be  hanged  and  quartered,  was  not  true :  let  me 
hear  if  there  be  any  such  thing.  Not  three  days  ago  there 
was  a  privy  warning  given  me  from  a  man  of  God,  one 
Lifley,  a  glover,  that  we  prisoners  here  all  three  should  be 
shortly  and  suddenly  conveyed  into  three  several  colleges; 
for  what  purpose,  and  how  to  be  ordered,  God  knoweth. 
At  the  which  time,  and  at  the  earnest  request  of  that  fore- 
named  man  of  God,  I  did  deliver  unto  him  some  of  the 
things  I  had  in  hand,  to  write  out :  what  they  be,  you  shall 
know  of  him.  Beside  the  things  which  he  hath,  I  have  some 
things  else,  which  (if  it  please  God)  I  would  wish  might  come 
to  light,  if  perchance  any  thereby  might  receive  the  light  to 
love  the  truth  the  better,  and  to  abhor  the  falsehood  of 
antichrist.  I  have  written  annotations  6in  prlorem  lib-rum 
Tonstalli  plenius,  in  secundum  vero  parcius:  optarem  ut 
transcriber  entur,  ne  fortassis  una  mecum  fiant  subito  Vulcani 
cibus.  I  have  also  many  things,  but  as  yet  confusedly  set 
together,  of  the  abominable  usurpation,  pride,  arrogancy,  and 
wickedness  of  the  see  and  bishop  of  Rome ;  and  altogether 
in  Latin7.  If  those  things  were  written  out,  I  would  wish  / 
that  Master  Bradford  would  take  them,  and  translate  and 

[4  5  MSS.  Emm.  Coll.  Lib.    ED.] 

[°  More  fully  on  the  first  book  of  Tonstall,  but  more  sparingly 
on  the  second.  I  should  wish  them  to  be  transcribed,  lest  by  chance 
together  with  myself  they  should  suddenly  become  a  prey  to  the  flames. 
ED.] 

(7  This  collection  of  Ridley's  probably  fell  into  the  possession  of  Fox 
or  Grindall,  and  furnished  some  of  the  materials  for  the  earlier  part  of 
the  Acts  and  Monuments.  ED.] 


374  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

order  them  as  he  should  think  might  best  help  to  open  the 
eyes  of  the  simple,  for  to  see  the  wickedness  of  the  syna 
gogue  of  Satan.  But  that  at  your  last  being  here  you  cast 
cold  water  upon  mine  affection  towards  Grimbold,  else  me- 
think  I  could  appoint  where  he  might  occupy  himself  to  his 
own  profit  in  learning  which  he  liketh,  and  to  no  small 
profit  which  might  ensue  to  the  church  of  Christ  in  England : 
as,  if  he  would  take  in  hand  to  interpret  Laurentius  Valla, 
which  (as  he  knoweth)  is  a  man  of  singular  eloquence ;  his 
book  I  mean,  which  he  made  and  wrote  against  that  false 
feigne(i  fable>  forged  ofb  Constantinus  Magnus,  and  his  dota 
tion  and  glorious  exaltation  of  the  see  of  Rome :  and  when 
he  hath  done  that,  let  him  translate  a  work  of  ^Eneas  Silvius 
de  gestis  JBasiliensis  Concilii1.  In  the  which  although  there 
be  many  things  that  sayoureth  of  the  pan,  and  also  he  him 
self  was  afterward  a  bishop  of  Rome,  yet,  I  dare  say,  the 
papists  would  glory  but  a  little  to  see  such  books  go  forth 
in  English.  If  you  wiU  know  where  to  have  these  books 
or  treatises,  you  may  have  them  both  together,  and  many 
like  treatises,  which  painteth  out  the  wickedness  of  the  see 
of  Rome,  in  a  book  set  forth  by  a  papist  called  Ortwinus 
Gratius,  entitled  Fasciculus  rerum  expetendarum  el  fugien- 
darum2.  In  that  book  you  shall  have  confessionem  fratrum 
Waldensium,  men  of  much  more  learning,  godliness,  sober 
ness,  and  understanding  in  God's  word,  than  I  would  have 
thought  them  to  have  been  in  that  time,  before  I  did  read 
their  works.  If  such  things  had  been  set  forth  in  our 
English  tongue  heretofore,  I  suppose  surely  great  good  might 
have  come  to  Christ's  church  thereby.  To  my  good  lady's 
grace,  and  to  my  lady  Vane,  what  thanks  can  I  give,  but 
desire  Almighty  God  to  lighten,  comfort,  and  strengthen 
them  evermore  in  his  ways?  The  other  two  whom  you 
mention  I  know  not:  but  the  Lord  knoweth  them;  to  whom 
in  them  all  and  for  all  their  kindness  I  give  most  hearty 

[x  Concerning  the  Acts  of  the  Council  of  Basil.  A  translation  of 
these  Acts  is  given  by  Fox  in  his  "Acts  and  Monuments."  ED.] 

Q2  A  bundle  of  such  things  as  are  to  be  sought  after,  and  such  things 
as  are  to  be  avoided.  A  well-known  and  valuable  work  published  a^ 
Cologne,  A.D.  1535,  and  to  which  was  added  an  appendix  published  in 
London,  A.D.  1690,  by  the  Rev.  —  Browne.  ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  375 

thanks.  Master  Bradford  desireth  that  thanks  should  be 
rendered  unto  you  for  your  comfortable  aid  wherewith  you 
comfort  him:  but  you  must  tell  him  that  he  must  bid  you 
thank  them  for  him,  which  are  not  bound  to  thank  you  for 
themselves ;  and  if  he  do  so,  then,  I  ween,  all  we  prisoners 
of  Oxford  shall  so  stop  his  mouth. 

Brother  Austin,  you  for  our  comfort  do  run  up  and  down, 
and  who  beareth  your  charges  God  knoweth.  I  know  you 
must  needs  in  so  doing  take  much  pains.  I  pray  you  take 
this  poor  token3  of  my  good  will  towards  your  charges. 


LETTER  XIX.     (COVERDALE.) 

To  DOCTOR  WESTON  ;  requiring  performance  of  certain  pro 
mises  made  unto  liirn,  but  never  fulfilled,  according  to  the 
accustomed  wily  and  unfaithful  dealings  of  the  papists. 

MASTER  Prolocutor,  ye  remember,  I  am  sure,  how  you 
promised  me  openly  in  the  schools,  after  my  protestation, 
that  I  should  see  how  my  answers  were  there  taken  and 
written  of  the  notaries,  whom  you  appointed,  (me  fateor 
neminem  recusante*,)  to  write  what  should  be  said;  and  to 
have  had  licence  for  us  to  have  added  unto  them,  or  for 
to  have  altered  them,  as  upon  more  deliberation  should  have 
seemed  me  best.  Ye  granted*  me  also,  at  the  delivery  of  "promised. 
mine  answer  unto  your  first  proposition,  a  copy  of  the  same. 
These  promises  be  not  performed.  If  your  sudden  departure  what  Pro- 

,,  T  .        mises  he 

be  any  part  of  the  cause  thereof,  yet  I  pray  you  remember  made  openly 
that  they  may  be  performed ;  for  performance  of  promises  is  schools  that 

iiiT*  •    i  i  IT  Avcre  never 

to  be  looked  for  at  a  righteous  Tttdges  hands.  performed, 

-VT  T  ,  ,     '  .  .  .  .  read  before. 

JNow  I  send  you  here  mine  answers  in  writing  to  your  M.C. 
second  and  third  propositions,  and  do  desire  and  require 
earnestly  a  copy  of  the  same :  and  I  shall,  by  God's  grace, 
procure  the  pains  of  the  writer  to  be  paid  for  and  satisfied 
accordingly.  When  I  would  have  confirmed  my  sayings  with 
authorities  or  reasons,  you  said  there  openly,  that  I  should 

[3  The  MS.  in  the  Library  of  Emm.  Coll.  Cambridge  adds  here, 
3s.  4d.     ED.] 

Q*  I  confess,  without  objection,  to  any  one  of  them  on  my  part.    ED.] 


376  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

have  had  time  and  place  to  say  and  bring  whatsoever  I  could 
another  time.  And  the  same  your  saying  was  then  there 
confirmed  of  other  of  the  commissioners.  Yea,  and  I  dare 
say  the  audience  also  thought  then  that  I  should  have  had 
another  day  to  have  brought  and  said  what  I  could  say,  for 
the  declaration  and  confirmation  of  mine  assertions.  Now 
that  this  was  not  done,  but  so  suddenly  sentence  given  be 
fore  the  cause  was  perfectly  heard,  I  cannot  but  marvel  at 
all;  and  the  due  reformation  of  all  things  which  are  amiss 
I  commit  unto  Almighty  God,  my  heavenly  Father,  which 
by  his  dear  Son  our  Saviour  Christ,  (whom  he  hath  made 
the  universal  judge  of  all  flesh,)  shall  truly  and  righteously 
judge  both  you  and  me. 

Master  Prolocutor,  I  desire  you,  and  in  God^s  name  re 
quire  you,  that  you  truly  bring  forth  and  shew  all  my  three 
answers,  written  and  subscribed  with  mine  own  hand,  unto  the 
higher  house  of  the  convocation,  and  specially  unto  my  Lord 
Chancellor,  my  Lords  of  Durham,  Ely,  Norwich,  Worcester, 
and  Chichester,  and  also  to  shew  and  exhibit  this  my  writing 
unto  them,  which  in  these  few  lines  I  write  here  unto  you. 
And  that  I  do  make  this  request  unto  you  by  this  my 
writing,  know  you  that  I  did  take  witness  of  them  by  whom 
I  did  send  you  this  writing,  and  of  those  which  were  then 
with  them  present,  that  is,  of  the  bailiffs  of  Oxford,  and  of 
Master  Irish,  Alderman,  then  there  called  to  be  a  witness. 
By  me,  N.  RIDLEY,  April  23,  1554. 


LETTER  XX. 

A  Letter  sent  from  DR  RIDLEY,  late  Bishop  of  London 

lying  in  the  Mayors  house  of  Oxford,  called  MR  IRISH), 
unto  one  WILLIAM  PUNT,  who  brought  at  that  time 
writings  from  MR  HOOPER  and  MR  BRADFORD  to  DR 
RIDLEY,  MR  CRANMER,  and  MR  LATIMER,  to  peruse, 
and  for  that  he  could  not  come  to  him,  this  letter  was 
sent  unto  the  said  WILLIAM  into  the  town.  Anno  1554. 

MSS.  Bibl.  Emm.  Coll.  apud  Cantab. 
BROTHER  Punt,  ye  do  know  what  hath  bechanced  unto 

my  brother  of  late ;  and  the  truth  is  also,  that  this  three  or 


LETTERS  OF  BISHOP  RIDLEY.  377 

four  days  I  have  been  somewhat  in  a  fervent  heat,  and  felt 
in  my  body  a  disposition  to  an  ague ;  but,  thanked  be  God,  it 
assuageth.  I  have  looked  for  none  other,  nor  yet  do,  but  every 
hour  for  some  to  come  to  make  a  search.  I  have  in  haste  read 
over  the  book,  the  three  chapters.  But  mine  advice  is  that 
they  be  not  now  published,  lest  they  should  be  lost  and  no 
profit  so  might  come  by  them ;  for  I  know  no  state  of  men, 
neither  of  high  degree  or  low,  lord,  lawyer,  priest,  or  lay 
man  (as  the  world  is  set  now),  whom  I  think  would  gladly 
receive  them,  specially  of  those  that  are  learned  in  the  Latin 
tongue ;  yea,  and  I  fear  that  the  setting  (them)  forth  might 
be  occasion  to  have  the  author  of  them  more  hardly  to  be 
handled,  and  so  peradventure  as  he  should  be  least  able  to 
do  hereafter  any  more  good  either  with  his  tongue  or  with 
his  pen,  which  were  a  great  pity.  What  this  will  come 
unto  that  they  have  gotten  out  by  my  brother-in-law's  be 
haviour,  I  cannot  tell ;  but  it  was  not  in  my  mind  that  any 
thing  should  have  come  abroad  in  my  name,  until  our  bodies 
had  been  laid  at  rest.  Commend  me  to  all  the  holy  pri 
soners  in  Christ,  and  desire  them  to  pray  for  me  unto  our 
gracious  Father,  that  as  by  my  brother's  trouble  he  hath 
somewhat  increased  my  cross,  so  he  will  of  his  gracious 
goodness  increase  his  gifts  of  grace  to  his  glory  and  the 
furtherance  of  his  truth.  Amen. 

Yours, 

NICHOLAS  RIDLEY. 


LETTER  XXI.     (COVERDALE.) 
To  MASTER  BRADFORD. 

OH,  dear  brother,  seeing  the  time  is  now  come  when  it 
pleaseth   the   heavenly   Father,   for   Christ   our    Saviour    his 
sake,  to  call  upon  you,  and  to  bid  you  to  come,  happy  are 
you  that  ever  you  were  born,  thus  to  be  awake  at  the  Lord's 
calling.     Euge,  serve  bone  et  fidelis,  quid  super  pauca  fidsti  Matt.  xxr. 
fidelis,  super  multa  te  constituet,  et  intraUs  in  gaudium  Do- " 
mini1.     0  dear  brother,  what   meaneth  this,   that  you  are 

[J  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant:  because  thou  hast  been 
faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things, 
and  thou  shalt  enter  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord.  ED.] 


378  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

sent  into  your  own  native  country?  The  wisdom  and  policy 
of  the  world  may  mean  what  they  will;  but  I  trust  God 
will  so  order  the  matter  finally  by  his  fatherly  providence, 
that  some  great  occasion  of  God's  gracious  goodness  shall 
be  plenteously  poured  abroad  amongst  his,  our  dear  brethren 
in  that  country,  by  this  your  martyrdom.  Where  the  mar 
tyrs  for  Christ's  sake  shed  their  blood  and  lost  their  lives, 
oh  what  wondrous  things  hath  Christ  afterward  wrought  to 
his  glory  and  confirmation  of  their  doctrine !  If  it  be  not 
the  place  that  sanctifieth  the  man,  but  the  holy  man  doth 
by  Christ  sanctify  the  place,  brother  Bradford,  then  happy 
and  holy  shall  be  that  place  wherein  thou  shalt  suffer,  and 
shall  be  with  thy  ashes  in  Christ's  cause  sprinkled  over 
withal.  All  thy  country  may  rejoice  of  thee,  that  ever  it 
brought  forth  such  a  one,  which  would  render  his  life  again 
in  His  cause  of  whom  he  had  received  it. 

Brother  Bradford,  so  long  as  I  shall  understand  that 
thou  art  in  thy  journey,  by  God's  grace  I  shall  call  upon 
our  heavenly  Father,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  set  thee  safely 
home :  and  then,  good  brother,  speak  you  and  pray  for  the 
remnant  that  are  for  to  suffer  for  Christ's  sake,  according 
to  that  thou  then  shalt  know  more  clearly. 

We  do  look  now  every  day  when  we  shall  be  called  on, 
blessed  be  God !  I  \veen,  I  am  the  weakest  many  ways  of 
our  company;  and  yet  I  thank  our  Lord  God  and  heavenly 
Father  by  Christ,  that  since  I  heard  of  our  dear  brother 
Rogers'  departing  and  stout  confession  of  Christ  and  his 
truth  even  unto  the  death,  my  heart  (blessed  be  God !)  so 
rejoiced  of  it,  that  since  that  time,  I  say,  I  never  felt  any 
lumpish  heaviness  in  my  heart,  as  I  grant  I  have  felt  some 
times  before.  0  good  brother,  blessed  be  God  in  thee,  and 
blessed  be  the  time  that  ever  I  knew  thee.  Farewell,  farewell. 
Your  brother  in  Christ,  N.  R. 
Brother,  farewell. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  379 

LETTER  XXII.     (COVEBDALE.) 
To  MASTER  BRADFORD. 

GRATIAM  et  pacem,   $c.     Although   I  ween  it  is  not  yet 
three  days  ago  since  you  heard  from  me,  yet  having  such 
a  messenger   and   so   diversely  enforced,   I   cannot   but  say 
something  to  you.     What  shall  I  thank  you  for  your  golden 
token  2    What  mean  you,  man  ?    Do  you  not  know  that  we 
have  victum  et  amictum  e  penario  regio1?    I  was  so  moved  J 
with  your  token,  that    I   commanded   it  straightway  to  be 
had  to  Bocardo,  which  is   our   common   gaol.     I  am  right  B 
glad  of  Austin's  return,  for  I  was  (as  I  told  you)  careful  a  ^anxious 
for  him.     Blessed  be  God   that   all   is   well  !     I    have   seen 
what  he  brought  from  you,  and  shortly  surveyed  the  whole, 
but  in   such   celerity,  that  others  also  might  see  the  same 
before  Austin's  return  :  so  that  I  noted  nothing  but  a  con- 
fused  sum  of  the  matter,  and   as   yet  what   the   rest   have 
done,   I  can  tell  nothing  at  all,  and  it  was  at  the  writing 


hereof  in  their  hands.     To  your  request  and  Austin's  earn-  Bra<ifo?dCl1 


est  demand  of  the  same,   I  have  answered  him   in  a  brief 

letter,  and  yet  he  hath  replied  again  :  but  he  must  go  with-  andiXimer 

out  any  further  answer  of  me  for  this  time.     I  have 


Austin  that  I,  for  my  part,  as  I  can  and  may  for  my  answer  the 
tardity  and  dulness,  will  think  of  the  matter.  We  are  so  sa 
now  ordered  and  straitly  watched,  that  scantly  our  servants 
dare  do  anything  for  us  :  so  much  talk  and  so  many  tales 
(as  is  said)  are  told  of  us  abroad.  One  of  us  cannot  easily 
nor  shortly  be  of2  the  knowledge  of  another's  mind,  and 
you  know  I  am  youngest  many  ways.  Austin's  persuasions 
may  do  more  with  me  (in  that  I  may  do  conveniently  in 
this  matter,)  armed  with  your  earnest  and  zealous  letters, 
than  any  rhetoric  either  of  Tully  or  Demosthenes,  I  ensure 
you  thereof.  With  us  it  is  said  that  Master  Grimbold  was 
adjudged  to  be  hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered  ;  of  whom  we 
hear  now,  that  he  is  at  liberty.  So  we  heard  of  late,  that 
Master  Hooper  was  hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered,  indeed, 
not  for  heresy  but  for  treason;  but  blessed  be  God,  we 

\_l  Food  and  clothing  at  the  royal  charge.    ED.] 
P  Attain  to.    ED.] 


380  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

Note  the      hear  now  that  all  is  true  in  like.     False  tongues   will   not 

lying  spirit 

Oistsepa~     cease  to  lie,  and  mischievous  hearts   to  imagine  the  worst, 
-whereby      Farewell   in  Christ :    and  token  for  token  now  I  send  you 

you  may  J 

n0t '     ^Ut    ^110W    tn*S>    tnat    (as    ^     ^S     to^    me)     I     nave    two 

scarlet  gowns  that  escaped,  I  cannot  tell  how,  in  the  spoil, 
whereof  you  shall  have  your  part.  Commend  me  to  all  our 
brethren,  and  your  fellow-prisoners  in  the  Lord. 

Yours  in  Christ,  N.  R. 


LETTER  XXIII.     (COVERDALE.) 
To  AUGUSTINE  BERNEHER. 

BROTHER  Augustine,  I  bless  God  with  all  my  heart  in 
his  manifold  merciful  gifts  given  unto  our  dear  brethren  in 
Christ ;  especially  to  our  brother  Rogers,  whom  it  pleased  him 
to  set  forth  first,  no  doubt  but  of  his  gracious  goodness  and 
fatherly  favour  towards  him.  And  likewise,  blessed  be  God 
in  the  rest — as  Hooper,  Saunders,  and  Taylor,  whom  it  hath 
pleased  the  Lord  likewise  to  set  in  the  fore-front  of  the  battle 
against  his  adversaries,  and  hath  endued  them  all,  so  far  as 
I  can  hear,  to  stand  in  the  confession  of  his  truth,  and  to 
be  content  in  his  cause,  and  for  his  gospel's  sake,  to  lose 
their  life.  And  evermore,  and  without  end,  blessed  be  even 
the  same  our  heavenly  Father  for  our  dear  and  entirely 
beloved  brother,  Bradford,  whom  now  the  Lord,  I  perceive, 
calleth  for:  for  I  ween  he  will  no  longer  vouchsafe  him  to 
abide  among  the  adulterous  and  wicked  generation  of  this 
world.  I  do  not  doubt  but  that  he,  for  those  gifts  of  grace 
which  the  Lord  hath  bestowed  on  him  plenteously,  hath 
holpen  those  who  are  gone  before  in  their  journey,  that  is,  hath 
animated  and  encouraged  them  to  keep  the  high  way,  let  sic 
currere  uti  tandem  acciperent  premium.  The  Lord  be  his 
comfort,  whereof  I  do  not  doubt,  and  thank  God  heartily 
that  ever  I  was  acquainted  with  him,  and  that  ever  I  had 
such  a  one  in  my  house.  And  yet  again  I  bless  God  in 
Protomar-  our  dear  brother,  and  of  this  time  protomartyr,  Rogers,  that 
fT-  vho"  ^6  was  a^so  one  °^  my  cam>n»  to  be  a  prebendary  preacher 
[x  And  so  to  run  that  at  length  they  might  receive  the  prize.  ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  381 


of  London.  And  now  because  Grindall  is  gone  (the  Lord 
I  doubt  not  hath  and  knoweth  wherein  he  will  bestow  him),  I 
trust  to  God  it  shall  please  him  of  his  goodness  to  strengthen 
me  to  make  up  the  trinity2  out  of  Paul's  church  to  suffer  M-c 
for  Christ,  whom  God  the  Father  hath  anointed,  the  Holy 
Spirit  doth  bear  witness  unto,  Paul  and  all  the  apostles 
preached.  Thus  fare  you  well.  I  had  no  paper;  I  was 
constrained  thus  to  write. 


LETTER  XXIV. 

From  AUGUSTINE  BERNEHER  to  RIDLEY. 
MSS.  Bibl.  Emm.  Coll.  apud  Cantab. 

ALTHOUGH  I  am  so  weary  as  any  man  can  be,  by  the 
reason  of  my  journey  I  have  had  this  day,  yet  I  cannot  but 
write  two  or  three  words  to  your  lordship,  desiring  you  for 
God's  sake  to  pardon  me  because  of  my  long  absence  con 
trary  to  my  promise :  but  if  you  had  known  whereabouts  I 
had  been  occupied,  I  am  sure  you -would  pardon  me,  although 
your  lordship  shall  understand  that  I  had  no  time  at  all  to 
write  out  your  book,  the  which  thing  truly  is  a  great  sorrow 
unto  me.  I  have  brought  them  all  again,  lest  peradventure 
you  should  have  need  of  them ;  and  if  so  be  that  your  good 
ness  would  let  me  have  them  for  a  while,  I  would  copy  them 
out  with  all  haste  possible. 

Good  my  lord,  conceive  nothing  against  me,  for  since 
my  departure  hence  there  hath  been  such  turmoilings  as 
never  was  in  London,  as  I  doubt  not  but  your  lordship 
hath  heard  of  it.  As  yet  all  things  go  forward  to  the  great 
pain  of  godly  ministers  and  the  perpetual  shame  of  the  peo 
ple.  The  best  tragedy  to  describe  it  would  ask  a  great  deal 
of  time.  If  so  be  that  your  lordship  hath  not  heard  of  the 
matter,  I  shall  certify  the  same  by  my  simple  writing. 

My  lord,  I  pray  you  as  you  have  at  all  times  (preserved) 
your  books,  so  I  trust  you  will  do  forward;  and  if  so  be 
that  God  shall  take  your  lordship  out  of  this  misery,  I 

[?  The  other  two  were  Rogers  and  Bradford,  prebendaries  of  St 
Paul's.  ED.] 


382 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    EIDLEY. 


would  by  all  means  possible  get  them  in  print  beyond  the 
seas,  where  I  shall  have  the  help  of  learned  men. 

Mr  Bradford  moveth  to-morrow  towards  Lancashire  with 
my  lord  of  Derby.  I  have  promised  him  to  meet  him  at 
Coventry;  therefore  I  pray  you  let  me  hear  of  you  this 
day,  for  to-morrow  I  will  be  gone  very  early. 


him  by  the 
tiferme 

Duchess  of 

whomkhe° 


writtenbotti 

others  aml 
M-c- 


LETTER  XXV.     (COVEEDALE.) 
To  AUGUSTINE  BERNEHER. 

BROTHER  Augustine,  I  thank  you  for  your  manifold  kind- 
ness.  I  have  received  my  lady's  grace's  alms,  six  royals1, 
six  shillings,  and  eight  pence.  I  have  written  a  letter  here 
unto  her  grace,  but  I  have  made  no  mention  thereof;  where- 
*'°1<e  *  Desire  you  to  ren(^er  ^er  grace  hearty  thanks.  Blessed 
ke  Q-O(J?  as  for  myself  I  want  nothing,  but  my  lady's  alms 
happily  to  relieve  my  poor  brother's  necessity,  whom 


you  ^now  tne  cause  wnj-  Farewell,  brother  Austin,  and 
take  good  heed,  I  pray  you,  and  let  my  brother's  case  make 
you  the  more  wary.  Eead  my  letter  to  my  lady's  grace. 
I  would  Mistress  Wilkinson  and  Mrs  Warcup  had  a  copy 
of  it:  for  although  the  letter  is  directed  to  my  lady's  grace 
alone,  yet  the  matter  thereof  pertaineth  indifferently  to  her 
grace  and  to  all  good  women,  which  love  God  and  his 
word  in  deed  and  truth. 

Yours  in  Christ,  N.  R. 


LETTER  XXVI.    (Fox.) 
To  AUGUSTINE  BERNEHER. 

BROTHER  Austin,  where  you  desire  so  earnestly  to  know 
my  mind  in  that  part  of  the  husband's  letter  unto  his  wife, 
wherein  he  permitting  her  "to  do  as  she  may,  when  she 

Q1  Rial  or  royal,  a  gold  coin  worth  in  1  Henry  VIII.  11*.  3d.,  in 
2  Ed.  VI.  13s.  Qd.,  and  in  2  Elizabeth  15s.    ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  383 

cannot  do  what  she  would,"  giving  this  reason,  "that  she 
must  keep  her  religion  as  she  may  in  this  realm,  and  God 
shall  accept  her  will,  and  shall  impute  the  fault  to  others:" 
also  saying,  "  What  blame  is  in  her,  if  she  use  the  religion 
here  as  she  may,  though  it  be  not  as  she  would?" — this 
seemeth  to  me  to  be  a  perilous  saying,  wherein  I  fear  me 
the  man  tendereth  his  wife  too  much.  I  wish  rather  he 
had  counselled  her  to  depart  the  realm:  for  peradventure, 
she  tarrying,  to  have  bidden  her  openly  and  boldly,  when 
she  should  have  been  commanded  to  follow  ungodliness — 
to  have  bidden  her,  I  say,  there  [and]  then  to  have  confessed 
the  truth,  and  to  have  stood  in  it — he  thought,  and  per 
adventure  knew,  was  more  than  she  was  like  to  do.  But 
I  suppose,  if  she  had  considered  more  deeply  her  husband's 
mind  in  writing — that  his  counsel  savoured  of  his  so  tender  a 
zeal  towards  her,  [rather]  than  of  the  contempt  of  all  worldly 
and  carnal  affections,  which  ought  to  be  in  Christ's  cause ;  and 
upon  the  same  had  required  licence  to  have  departed  the 
realm;  yea,  and  then  had  departed  indeed,  rather  than, 
after  certain  knowledge  had  of  their  ungodly  ways,  to  seem 
to  allow  the  same  by  her,  in  this  case,  open  acts,  and  so  not 
to  have  followed  her  husband's  former  counsel ;  I  think  she 
should  less  have  offended  her  husband  than  she  doth  now, 
in  that  she  hath  made  his  letter, — not  so  warily  written  (me- 
thinks)  as  I  would  have  wished  it  had  been  (if  it  were  her 
deed2) — to  have  come  to  the  knowledge  of  those  that  will  use 
it,  and  construe  it  to  the  worst,  to  the  defence  of  and 
maintenance  of  ungodly  ways. 

NICHOLAS  RIDLEY. 


LETTER  XXVII.     (COVEHDALE.) 

To  MISTRESS  GLOVER,  a  woman  zealous  and  hearty  in  the 
cause  and  furtherance  of  God's  gospel. 

MISTRESS  Glover,  I  wish  you  grace  and  peace;  and  al 
though   I   am    not    acquainted   with   you,    yet    nevertheless. 

[2  If  it  were  by  her  means  that  her  husband's  letter  was  made 
public.    ED.] 


384 


XETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


hearing  that  your  husband,  Master  Glover1,  is  in  prison  for 
God's  word's  sake,  and  also  that  you  are  a  woman  hearty 
>  in  God's  cause,  and,  thirdly,  that  old  fathe^JLatinjei^  is  your 
uncle  or  near  cousin,  whom  I  do  think  the  Lord  hath  placed 
to  be  his  standard-bearer  in  our  age  and  country  against 
his  mortal  foe  antichrist,  I  was  thus  bold  to  write  unto 
you  in  God's  behalf,  to  do  according  to  the  report  which  I 
hear  of  you ;  that  is,  that  you  be  hearty  in  God's  cause,  and 
hearty  to  your  Master  Christ,  in  furthering  of  his  cause  and 
setting  forth  his  soldiers  to  his  wars  to  the  uttermost  of 
your  power.  Let  no  carnality  nor  worldly  regard  of  any 

•hinder,  thing  leta  you  to  declare  your  true  heart,  which  you  are  said 
to  bear  to  your  Master  Christ  above  all  other  things.  Be 
hearty  now  also  to  your  husband,  and  declare  yourself  to  love 
him  in  God,  as  the  true  faithful  Christian  woman  unto  her 
husband  is  bound  to  do.  Now,  seeing  your  husband,  which 
is  set  by  God's  ordinance  to  be  your  head,  is  ready  to  suffer 
and  abide  in  adversity  by  his  Master's  cause,  and  to  cleave 
to  his  head  Christ,  see  likewise  that  you  do  your  duty  ac 
cordingly,  and  cleave  unto  him  your  head:  suffer  with  him 
that  you  may  further  his  cause.  His  cause  now  I  under 
stand  to  be  Christ's  cause ;  and  therefore  beware,  good  sister 
in  Christ,  that  in  no  wise  ye  hinder  it.  Love  so  his  body, 
and  the  ease  and  wealth  thereof,  as  your  love  may  further 
him  to  the  winning  both  of  body  and  soul  unto  everlasting 
life.  And  this  love  shall  both  God  allow,  your  husband  shall 
have  just  cause  to  rejoice  thereof,  and  all  the  godly  to  com 
mend  you  therefore,  and  to  number  you,  for  the  same,  among 
the  godly  and  holy  women  of  God.  To  your  husband  I  have 
written  more.  And  thus  fare  you  well  now,  good  dear  sister 
in  our  Saviour  Christ.  I  was  the  bolder  to  write  unto  you, 
for  that  I  understood  my  dearly  beloved  brother  Austin, 

*  would,  whom  I  call  Faustus,  should b  be  the  carrier;  a  man  whom 
I  think  God  hath  appointed  to  do  much  pleasure  for  his 
prest2  servants  to  his  wars. 

Yours  in  Christ,  N.  K. 

[*  He  was  burned  at  Coventry  a  short  time  before  Bishop  Ridley 
suffered  martyrdom.     ED.] 
[2  Ready,  zealous.    ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  385 


LETTER  XXVIII.     (COVERDALE.) 

To  a  friend  that  came  to  visit  him  in  prison,  but  could  not 
speak  with  him. 

WELL  beloved,  J  thank  you  heartily  for  your  manifold 
kindness,  but  the  Lord  shall  (I  trust)  acquit  you  your  meeda. 
Though  Satan  rage,  the  Lord  is  strong  enough  to  bridle  him, Avaal> 
and  to  put  an  iron  chain  over  his  nose  when  it  shall  please 
him.  In  the  mean  time  they  that  are  the  Lord's  will  flee 
unto  him,  and  assuredly  he  will  not  forsake  them  that  seek 
unto  him  in  very  deed  and  in  truth.  This  bearer,  my  man, 
is  trusty,  you  may  send  your  token  by  him.  Let  Nicholas 
keep  still  the  shirts.  The  Lord  reward  that  lady  Wyatt, 
which  for  his  sake  hath  thus  remembered  me :  I  do  not 
know  her  person.  What  can  I  render  to  Mistress  Wilkin 
son  for  all  her  benefits?  Nothing  surely,  but  to  desire  the 
Lord  to  acquit b  her  with  his  heavenly  grace.  If  you  tarry  b  requite 
I  shall  have  more  to  say  to  you,  peradventure,  hereafter. 
Now,  Vale  in  Domino  charissime. 

Yours  in  Christ,  N.  K. 


LETTER  XXIX.     (COVERDALE.) 
To  a  Cousin?  of  his. 

GOD'S  Holy  Spirit  be  with  you  now  and  ever,  Amen. 
When  I  call  to  remembrance,  beloved  cousin,  the  state  of 
those  that  for  fear  of  trouble,  either  for  loss  of  goods,  will 
do  in  the  sight  of  the  world  those  things  that  they  know 
and  be  assured  are  contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  I  can  do 
no  less  but  lament  their  case;  being  assured  that  the  end 
thereof  will  be  so  pitiful,  without  speedy  repentance,  that  I 
tremble  and  fear  to  have  it  in  remembrance.  I  would  to 
God  it  lay  upon  some  earthly  burden,  so  that  freedom  of 
conscience  might  be  given  unto  them.  I  write,  as  God 
knoweth,  not  of  presumption,  but  only  lamenting  their  state, 

[3  According  to  Gloucester  Ridley,  this  cousin  was  Mabel,  grand 
daughter  of  Lord  Dacre,  married  to  his  cousin  Nicholas  Ridley.    ED.] 

25 
[RIDLEY.] 


386  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

who,  I  thought,  now  in  this  dangerous  time  should  have 
given  both  you  and  me  comfortable  instructions.  But,  alas ! 
instead  thereof  we  have  persuasions  to  follow  (I  lament  me  to 
rehearse  it)  superstitious  idolatry;  yea,  and  that  worst  of  all 
is,  they  will  seek  to  prove  it  by  the  Scripture.  The  Lord 
for  his  mercy  turn  their  hearts.  Amen. 

Yours,  N.  R. 


LETTER  XXX.     (COVERDALE.) 

A  Letter  of  MASTER  EDMUND  GRINDALL,  then  leing  in  exile 

-1564.  for   the   testimony   of  the   truth,    and   now*   Bishop    of 

London,  to  DR  RIDLEY,  prisoner  in  Oxford,  which   we 

thought  good  here  to  place ;  for  that  the  letter  following 

is  an  answer  thereof. 

GRATIAMI  et  consolationem  a  Domino  et  servatore  nostro 
Jesu  Christo. — Sir,  I  have  often  been  desirous  to  have  written 
to  you,  and  to  have  heard  from  you,  but  the  iniquity  of  the 
times  have  hitherto  always  put  me  forth  of  all  hope  and 
comfort.  Now  at  this  present  God  seemeth  to  offer  some 
likelihood  that  these  might  come  to  your  hands,  which  I 
thought  to  use,  referring  the  rest  to  God's  disposition.  Your 
present  state  not  I  only  (who  of  all  other  am  most  bound,) 
but  also  all  other  our  brethren  here,  do  most  heartily  lament, 
as  joined  with  the  most  miserable  captivity  that  ever  any 
church  of  Christ  hath  suffered.  Notwithstanding  we  give 
God  most  humble  thanks,  for  that  he  hath  so  strengthened 
you,  and  others  your  concaptives,  to  profess  a  good  profes 
sion  before  so  many  witnesses.  And  I  doubt  nothing,  but 
he  that  hath  called  you  and  them,  not  only  to  believe  upon 
him  but  also  to  suffer  for  him,  doth  not  leave  you  destitute 
of  that  unspeakable  comfort,  which  he  useth  to  minister 
abundantly  to  his  in  the  school  of  the  cross.  He  grant 
that  his  name  may  be  glorified  in  you,  whether  it  be  by 
life  or  death;  as  may  be  most  to  his  honour  and  your 
everlasting  consolation. 

P  Grace  and  consolation  from  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    F.ISHOP    RIDLEY.  387 

Sir,  I  thought  it  good  to  advertise  you  partly  of  our 
state  in  these  parts.  We  be  here  dispersed  in  divers  and 
several  places.  Certain  be  at  Tigury2,  good  students  of  either 
university  a  number,  very  well  entreated  of  Master  Bullinger, 
of  the  other  ministers,  and  of  the  whole  city.  Another 
number  of  us  remain  at  Argentine3,  and  take  the  commodity 
of  Master  Martyr's  lessons,  who  is  a  very  notable  father. 
Master  Scory  and  certain  other  with  him  be  in  Friesland, 
and  have  an  English  church  there,  but  not  very  frequent b. lcrowded 
The  greatest  number  is  at  Frankfort,  where  I  was  at  this 
present  by  occasion,  a  very  fair  city,  the  magistrates  favour 
able  to  our  people,  with  so  many  other  commodities  as  exiles 
can  well  look  for.  Here  is  also  a  church,  and  now  (God  be 
thanked)  well  quieted  by  the  prudence  of  Master  Coxe  and 
other  which  met  here  for  that  purpose.  So  that  now,  we 
trust,  God  hath  provided  for  such  as  will  flee  forth  of  Baby 
lon  a  resting  place,  where  they  may  truly  serve  him  and 
hear  the  voice  of  their  true  pastor.  I  suppose  in  one  place 
and  other  dispersed,  there  be  well  nigh  an  hundred  students 
and  ministers  on  this  side  the  seas.  Such  a  Lord  is  God, 
to  work  diversely  in  his,  according  to  his  unsearchable  wis 
dom,  who  knoweth  best  what  is  in  man.  Primus  est  vic 
tor ice A  titulus,  Gentilium  manibus  appreliensum  Dominum 
confiteri.  Secundus  ad  gloriam  gradus  est,  cauta  secessione  j 
subtractum  Domino  reservari.  Ilia  publica,  Jicec  privata  con- 
fessio  est.  Ille  judicem  seculi  mncit,  Me  contentus  Deo  suo 
judice  conscientiam  puratn  cordis  integritate  custodit.  Illic 
fortitudo  promptior.  Me  soUcltudo  securior.  Ille  appropin- 

[2  Zurich.    ED.]  p  Strasburg.     ED.] 

[4  S.  Cypriani  de  lapsis.  Op.  Ed.  Ben.  Par.  1726,  p.  182,  The  first 
title  of  victory  is  for  one,  who  taken  by  the  hands  of  the  heathen  con 
fesses  the  Lord — the  second  path  up  to  glory  is  taken  by  that  man  who 
by  a  prudent  withdrawing  is  preserved  to  the  Lord.  The  former  is  a 
public,  the  latter  a  private  confession.  The  former  challenges  and 
obtains  the  verdict  of  this  present  world— the  latter,  content  that  God 
should  be  his  judge,  preserves  a  pure  conscience  in  the  integrity  of  his 
heart.  In  the  former  case  is  there  a  more  prompt  fortitude,  in  the 
latter  a  more  secure  solicitude — the  one,  when  his  hour  approaches,  is 
found  already  mature ;  the  other  perchance  is  reserved,  who  having  left 
his  patrimony,  on  that  account  has  departed,  because  he  would  not 
deny  [his  faith],  but  had  he  been  detained,  would  also  himself  have 
confessed  it.  ED.] 

25—2 


388 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


quante  Jiora  sua  jam  maturus  inventus  est.  Hie  fortasse 
dilatus  est,  qui  patrimonio  derelicto  idcirco  secessit,  quid  non 
erat  negaturus,  confiteretur  utique  si  fuisset  et  ipse  detentus. 
We  have  also  here  certain  copies  of  your  answers  in  the 
disputation ;  Item  Antoniana  objecta  cum  responsione.  The 
treatise  in  English  against  transubstantiation,  which  in  time 
shall  be  translated  into  Latin.  It  hath  been  thought  best 
not  to  print  them,  till  we  see  what  God  will  do  with  you; 
<  for  fear  of.  j^^  fol.c  incensing  of  their  malicious  fury,  and  also  for  re 
straining  you  and  others  from  writing  hereafter,  which  should 
be  a  greater  loss  to  the  church  of  Christ,  than  forbearing  of 
these  for  a  time.  If  I  shall  know  your  will  to  be  otherwise 
in  it,  the  same  shall  be  followed.  Thus  much  I  thought 
good  to  let  you  understand  concerning  these  matters,  and 
concerning  the  poor  state  of  men  here ;  who  most  earnestly 
and  incessantly  do  cry  unto  God  for  the  delivery  of  his 
church,  to  behold  the  causes  of  the  afflicted,  and  to  hear 
the  groans  of  his  imprisoned,  knowing  that  you,  who  in 
this  state  have  more  familiar  access  unto  God,  do  not  forget 
us.  God  comfort  you,  aid  you,  and  assist  you  with  his 
Spirit  and  grace,  to  continue  his  unto  the  end,  to  the  glory 
of  his  name,  the  edification  of  his  church,  and  the  subver 
sion  of  antichrist's  kingdom.  Amen. 

E.  G. 
From  Frankfort,  the  6th  of  May,  1555. 


LETTER  XXXI.     (COVERDALE.) 

TJie  Answer  of  DR  RIDLEY  to  tlie  former  Letter. 

BLESSED  be  God,  our  heavenly  Father,  which  inclined 
your  heart  to  have  such  a  desire  to  write  unto  me;  and 
blessed  be  he  again,  which  hath  heard  your  request,  and 
hath  brought  your  letters  safe  unto  my  hands :  and  over  all 
this,  I  bless  him  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  the 
great  comfort  I  have  received  by  the  same,  of  the  know 
ledge  of  your  state,  and  of  other  our  dearly  beloved  brethren 
and  countrymen  in  those  parts  beyond  the  sea. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


S89 


Dearly  beloved  brother  Grindall,  I  say  to  you,  and  all 
the  rest  of  our  brethren  in  Christ  with  you,  Kejoice  in  the 
Lord;  and  as  ye  love  me  and  the  other  my  reverend  fathers 
and  concaptives,  (which  undoubtedly  are  gloria  &&^)* 
lament  not  our  state;  but  I  beseech  you  and  them  all  to 
give  unto  our  heavenly  Father,  for  his  endless  mercies  and 
unspeakable  benefits  even  in  the  midst  of  all  our  troubles 
given  unto  us,  most  hearty  thanks.  For  know  ye,  that  as 
the  weight  of  his  cross  hath  increased  upon  us,  so  he  hath 
not  nor  doth  not  cease  to  multiply  his  mercies  to  strengthen 
us;  and  I  trust,  yea,  by  his  grace,  I  doubt  nothing,  but  he 
will  so  do  for  Christ  our  Masters  sake  even  to  the  end. 
To  hear  that  you  and  our  other  brethren  do  find  in  your 
exile  favour  and  grace  with  the  magistrates,  ministers,  and 
citizens  at  Tigury1,  at  Frankfort,  and  otherwhere,  it  doth 
greatly  comfort  (I  dare  say)  all  here  that  do  indeed  love 
Christ  and  his  true  word.  I  ensureb  you  it  warmed  my b  assure 
heart  to  hear  you  by  chance  to  name  some,  as  Scory  and 
Coxe,  &c.  Oh  that  it  had  come  in  your  mind  to  have  said 
somewhat  also  of  Cheeke,  of  Turner,  of  Leaver,  of  Samp 
son,  of  Chambers;  but  I  trust  to  God,  they  be  all  well. 
And,  Sir,  seeing  you  say  that  there  be  in  those  parts  with 
you  of  students  and  ministers  so  good  a  number,  now  there 
fore  care  you  not  for  us,  otherwise  than  to  wish  that  God's 
glory  may  be  set  forth  by  us.  For  whensoever  God  shall 
call  us  home,  (as  we  look  daily  for  none  other  but  when  it 
shall  please  God  to  say,  "  Come,")  ye,  blessed  be  God,  are 
enough  through  his  aid  to  light  and  set  up  again  the  lantern 
of  his  word  in  England.  As  concerning  the  copies  ye  say 
ye  have  with  you,  I  wonder  how  ever  they  did  wander  and 
could  find  the  way  to  come  to  you.  My  disputation,  except 
you  have  that  which  I  gathered  myself  after  the  disputation 
done,  I  cannot  think  ye  have  it  truly.  If  ye  have  that, 
then  ye  have  therewithal  the  whole  manner  after  the  which 
I  was  used  in  the  disputation. 

As  for  the  treatise  in  English,  Contra  transubstantiationem', 

P  Zurich.    ED.] 

[2  As  for  the  treatise  in  English  against  transubstantiation,  I  can 
scarcely  be  induced  to  believe  it  worth  translating  into  Latin.  As  to 
the  rest,  whatever  may  happen,  I  should  in  no  manner  wish,  that  any 


390  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

vise  possum  adduci,  ut  credam  operce  pretium  fore  ut  in  La- 
tinum  transferatur.  Cceterum  quicqidd  sit,  nullo  modo  velim 
ut  quicquam  quocunque  modo  meo  nomine  ederetur,  donee  quid 
de  nobis  Dominus  constituent  fieri,  wMs  prius  certo  consti- 
terit:  and  thus  much  unto  your  letters.  Now,  although  I 
suppose  ye  know  a  good  part  of  our  state  here,  (for  we 
are  forthcoming  even  as  when  ye  departed,  &c.)  you  shall 
understand  that  I  was  in  the  Tower  about  the  space  of  two 
months,  close  prisoner;  and  after  that,  had  granted  to  me 
without  my  labour  the  liberty  of  the  Tower,  and  so  conti- 
sanction.  nued  about  half-a-year ;  then,  because  I  refused  to  allow0  the 
mass  with  my  presence,  I  was  shut  up  in  close  prison  again. 

The  last  Lent  save  one,  it  chanced  by  reason  of  the  tu 
mult  stirred  up  in  Kent1,  there  was  so  many  prisoners  in 
the  Tower,  that  my  Lord  of  Canterbury,  Mr  Latimer,  Mi- 
Bradford,  and  I,  were  put  altogether  in  one  prison,  where 
we  remained  still  almost  to  the  next  Easter;  and  then  we 
three,  Canterbury,  Latimer,  and  I,  were  suddenly  sent  a  little 
before  Easter  to  Oxford,  and  were  suffered  to  have  nothing 
with  us,  but  that  we  carried  upon  us.  About  the  Whitsun 
tide  following  was  our  disputations  at  Oxford ;  after  the  which 
was  all  taken  from  us,  as  pen  and  ink,  &c. ;  our  own  ser 
vants  were  taken  from  us  before,  and  every  one  had  put  to 
him  a  strange  man;  and  we  each  one  appointed  to  be  kept 
in  several2  places,  as  we  are  unto  this  day. 

Blessed  be  God,  we  three  at  the  writing  hereof  were 
in  good  health,  and  (in  God)  of  good  cheer.  We  have  looked 
long  ago  to  have  been  despatched;  for  we  were  all  three 
•on  one  day,  within  a  day  or  two  of  our  disputations,  of 
Doctor  Weston,  (being  the  head  commissioner),  condemned 
for  heretics ;  and  since  that  time  we  remain  as  we  were  of 
him  left.  The  Lord's  will  be  fulfilled  in  us ;  as  I  do  not 
doubt,  but  by  his  grace  it  shall  be  to  his  glory  and  our 
endless  salvation,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Likewise  the  Lord  hitherto  hath  preserved,  above  ah1  our 

thing  should  in  any  way  be  published  in  my  name  until  you  are  made 
certainly  acquainted  with  what  it  may  have  pleased  the  Lord  to  deter 
mine  concerning  us.  ED.] 

[*  Wyatt's  Insurrection.    ED.] 

[2  Separate.    ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  891 

expectation,  our  dear  brother,  and  in  Christ's  cause  a  strong 
champion,  John  Bradford.  He  is  likewise  condemned,  and 
is  already  delivered  unto  the  secular  power,  and  writs  (as 
we  have  heard  say)  given  out  for  his  execution,  and  called 
in  again.  Thus  the  Lord,  so  long  as  his  blessed  pleasure 
is,  preserveth  whom  he  listeth,  notwithstanding  the  wonder 
ful  raving  of  the  world.  Many  (as  we  hear  say)  have  suf 
fered  valiantly,  confessing  Christ's  truth,  and  nothing  yielding 
to  the  adversary,  yea,  not  for  the  fear  or  pains  of  death. 

The  names  of  them  which  I  knew,  and  have  now  suf 
fered,  are  these  : — Farrar,  the  Bishop  of  St  David's ;  Hooper, 
the  Bishop  of  Worcester ;  Rogers,  tuns  olim  comprelendarius*; 
Doctor  Taylor,  of  Hadley ;  Mr  Saunders ;  and  one  Tomkins, 
a  weaver :  and  now,  this  last  day,  Mr  Cardmaker  with  another 
were  burnt  in  Smithfield  at  London,  and  many  others  in 
Essex  and  Kent,  whose  names  are  written  in  the  book  of 
life,  whom  yet  I  do  not  know. 

West,  your  old  companion,  and  sometime  mine  officer,  This  West 
alas!  hath  relented,  (as  I  have  heard);  but  the  Lord  hath  relented  and 
shortened  his  days,  for  anon  he  died  and  is  gone.     Grim-  against  his 

i        -» /r       i     i  conscience, 

bold  was  caught  by  the  heel  and  cast  into  the  Marshalsea,  shortly  after 

.,.  •          i          T    P  i  pined  away 

but  now  is  at  liberty  again ;  but  I  fear  me  he  escaped  not  and  died  for 
without  some  becking  and  bowing  (alas)   of  his  knee   unto  **•  c. 
Baal. 

My  dear  friend  Thomas  Ridley,  of  the  Bull  Head  in 
Cheape,  which  was  to  me  the  most  faithful  friend  that  I 
had  in  my  trouble,  is  departed  also  unto  God.  My  brother 
Shipside,  that  hath  married  my  sister,  hath  been  almost  half 
a  year  in  prison,  for  delivering  (as  he  was  accused)  of  cer 
tain  things,  I  ween,  from  me;  but  now,  thanks  be  to  God, 
he  is  at  liberty  again,  but  so  that  the  bishop  hath  taken 
from  him  his  park. 

Of  all  us  three  concaptives  at  Oxford  I  am  kept  most 
strait,  and  with  least  liberty;  *vel  quia  mro  in  cujus  cedibus 

[3  Once  thy  fellow  prebendary.     ED.] 

Q4  Either  because  the  man  in  whose  house  I  am  a  prisoner  is  ruled 
(though  he  be  the  mayor  of  the  city)  by  his  wife,  an  old  ill-tempered 
and  most  superstitious  woman,  who  indeed  takes  it  to  herself  as  a  mat 
ter  of  praise,  that  she  is  said  to  guard  me  most  strictly  and  cautiously. 
The  man  himself,  however,  whose  name  is  Irish,  is  good-tempered  enough 
to  every  body,  but  to  his  wife  most  obsequious.  Now  although,  as  you 


392  LETTERS    OP    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

ego  custodior,  uxor  dominatur  (licet  modo  sit  prcefectus  civi- 
iatis)  mulier  vetula,  morosa,  et  super stitiosissima ;  qua?  etiam 
hoc  sibi  laudi  ducit,  quod  me  dicatur  arctissime  et  cautissime 
custodire ;  vir  autetn  ipse,  Irischius  nomine,  mitis  satis  est 
omnibus,  uxori  vero  plusquam  obsequentissimus.  Licet  uxorem 
(uti  nosti)  nunquam  habuerim,  tamen  ex  hac  quotidiana  con- 
suetudine,  quam  cum  istis  conjugibus  habeo,  mdeor  mihi  non- 
nihil  posse  intelligere,  quam  grave  malum  et  intolerabile  jugum 
sit  cum  mala  muliere  in  conjugio  colligari.  Recte  ergo  sa 
piens  dixit,  Uxor  bona  donum  Dei ;  et  iterum,  Mulieris  bonce 
beatus  vir.  Vel  Jicec,  inquam,  causa  est,  vet  quia  a  magnis 
magistratibus  (nescio  quas  ob  causas)  illud  est,  ut  ita  fieret, 
ipsis  mandatum;  id  quod  illi,  siquando  de  mea  nimia  servi- 
tute  apud  eos  conqueror,  sedulo  soepe  rursus  mihi  inculcant. 

At  Cambridge,  (as  I  hear  say),  lomnes  studiorum  et  sta- 
tutorum  reformations  nuper  facto?  nunc  sunt  denuo  deformata? 
et  deleter,  et  omnia  sunt  in  pristinum  chaos  et  in  antiquum 
papismum  reducta :  omnes  cottegiorum  prcefecti  qui  sinceritati 
evangelii  favebant,  vet  qui  conjugati  erant,  loco  moti  sunt,  et 
alii  papisticw  factionis  in  eorum  loca  surrogati ;  quod  et  de 
sociis  collegiorum,  qui  noluerunt  flectere  genu  Baali,  factum 

know,  I  have  never  myself  had  a  wife,  yet  from  my  daily  association 
with  this  couple  I  seem  in  some  measure  to  understand,  how  great 
an  evil  and  intolerable  a  yoke  it  is  to  be  joined  in  wedlock  with  a 
bad  woman.  Rightly  therefore  has  the  wise  man  said,  A  good  wife 
is  the  gift  of  God,  and  again,  Blessed  is  the  husband  of  a  good  woman — 
Either  I  say  this  is  the  cause,  or  because  this  has  been  so  commanded 
them  by  the  higher  powers,  (from  what  causes  I  know  not)— which 
they,  if  ever  I  complain  of  my  too  strict  imprisonment  with  them, 
often  and  diligently  impress  upon  me.  ED.] 

IT1  All  the  reformations  lately  made  with  regard  both  to  statutes 
and  to  studies  are  now  again  deformed  and  invalidated,  and  every  thing 
reduced  to  its  pristine  chaos  and  ancient  papistry.  All  those  heads 
of  Colleges  who  favoured  the  purity  of  the  Gospel,  or  who  were  married, 
are  removed  from  their  places,  and  others  of  the  popish  faction  placed 
in  their  stead;  and  this  also  I  hear  to  be  the  case  with  those  fellows 
of  Colleges  who  would  not  bow  the  knee  to  Baal.  Nor  is  this  to 
be  wondered  at,  for  the  same  line  of  conduct  has  been  every  where 
pursued  throughout  all  the  realm  of  England— to  all  Archbishops, 
Bishops,  Deans,  Prebendaries,  ministers  of  churches,  and  towards  all 
the  clergy;  and  to  tell  you  much  naughty  matter  in  a  few  words, 
Papistry  reigns  every  where  among  us  in  all  its  pristine  strength. 
ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  393 

vsse  audio.  Nee  mi-rum ;  nam  et  istud  passim  factum  est  in 
universo  regno  Anglice  in  omnibus  Arcliiepiscopis,  Episcopis, 
Decanis,  prebendariis,  sacerdotibus  ecclesiarum,  ct  in  toto  clero ; 
and  to  tell  you  much  naughty  matter  in  a  few  words,  Pa- 
pismus  apud  nos  unique  in  pleno  suo  antiquo  robore  regnat. 

The  Lord  be  merciful,  and  for  Christ's  sake  pardon  us 
our  old  unkindness  and  unthankfulness ;  for  when  he  poured 
upon  us  the  gifts  of  his  manifold  graces  and  favour,  (alas) 
we  did  not  serve  him  nor  rendered  unto  him  thanks  ac 
cording  to  the  same.  We  pastors,  many  of  us,  were  too 
cold,  and  bare  too  much  (alas)  with  the  wicked  world;  our 
magistrates  did  abuse,  to  their  own  worldly  gain,  both  God's 
gospel  and  the  ministers  of  the  same;  the  people  in  many 
places  was  wayward  and  unkind.  Thus  of  every  side,  and 
of  every  sort,  we  have  provoked  God's  anger  and  wrath  to 
fall  upon  us.  But  blessed  might  he  be,  that  hath  not  suf 
fered  his  to  continue  in  those  ways,  which  so  wholly  have 
displeased  his  sacred  majesty;  but  hath  awaked  them  by 
the  fatherly  correction  of  his  own  Son's  cross,  unto  his  glory 
and  our  endless  salvation,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
My  daily  prayer  is  (as  God  doth  know),  and  by  God's  grace 
shall  be  so  long  as  I  live  in  this  world,  for  you  my  dear 
brethren  that  are  fled  out  of  your  own  country,  because  ye 
will  rather  forsake  all  worldly  things,  than  the  truth  of  God's 
word.  It  is  even  the  same  that  I  .used  to  make  to  God 
for  all  those  churches  abroad  through  the  world,  which  have 
forsaken  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  and  professed  openly  the 
purity  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ:  that  is,  that  God  our 
eternal  Father,  for  our  Saviour  Christ's  sake,  will  daily  in 
crease  in  you  the  gracious  gift  of  his  heavenly  Spirit,  to 
the  true  setting  forth  of  his  glory  and  of  his  Gospel,  and 
make  you  to  agree  brotherly  in  the  truth  of  the  same,  that 
there  rise  no  root  of  bitterness  among  you,  that  may  infect 
that  good  seed  that  God  hath  sown  in  your  hearts  already ; 
and  finally,  that  your  life  may  be  so  pure  and  so  honest, 
according  to  the  rule  of  God's  word,  and  according  to  that 
vocation  whereunto  we  are  called  by  the  Gospel  of  Christ 
our  Saviour,  that  the  honesty  and  purity  of  the  same  may 
provoke  all  that  shall  see  or  know  it  to  the  love  of  your 
doctrine,  and  to  love  you  for  your  honesty  and  virtue's  sake, 


394  LETTERS    OP    BISHOP    RIDLEY, 

and  so  both  in  the  brotherly  unity  of  your  true  doctrine, 
and  also  in  the  godly  virtue  of  your  honest  life,  to  glorify 
our  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

lEx  nostratibus  magni  aliquot  magistrates,  Cancellariux 
Wint.  Comes  Arundellus,  et  dominus  Pachetus,  jam  legations 
fmguntur  una  ami  Cardinali  Polo,  in  partibus  transmarinis, 
ad  componendam  (ut  aiunt)  pacem  inter  imperatorem,  regent- 
nostrum,  et  Francorum  regem.  Post  illorum  magistratuum 
nostrorum  reditum,  et  partum  reginw,  quern  jam  quotidie  ex- 
pectamus,  etiam  aliquandiu  expectavimus,  quemque  Deus  pro 
sui  nominis  gloria  dignetur  bene  illi  fortunare,  nos  tune 
statim  nihil  aliud  quam  nostrw  confessionis  de  hoste  nostro 
antiquo  triumpliales  in  Domino  coronas  expectamus. 

Omnium  vestrum  precibus  me  Jiumillime  et  ex  toto  cordo 
commendo ;  in  primis  tuis,  o  charissime  in  Christo  f rater  et 
dilectissime  Grindalle,  et  cliarissimorum  fratrum  et  unice  mihi 
in  Domino  dilectorum,  Checi,  Coxi,  Turneri,  Leveri,  Samp- 
sonis,  Chamberi,  et  omnium  fratrum  nostrorum  et  conterra- 
neorum  qui  apud  ws  degunt,  et  diligunt  Dominum  nostrum 

im  Christum  in  veritate.     Commendo  etiam  wbis  reveren- 


[x  Certain  great  persons  of  our  government — Winchester  the  Chan 
cellor,  the  Earl  of  Arundel  and  Lord  Paget  are  now  engaged  in  an 
embassy  together  with  Cardinal  Pole,  in  the  parts  beyond  sea,  to  nego- 
ciate,  as  they  say,  a  peace  between  the  emperor,  our  Sovereign*,  and  the 
king  of  the  French.  After  the  return  of  these  our  nobles,  and  the  con 
finement  of  the  Queen,  which  we  now  daily  look  for,  and  have  indeed 
for  some  time  expected,  (and  which  may  God  for  the  glory  of  his  name 
vouchsafe  to  render  happy  to  her),  we  then  expect  nothing  else  than  the 
immediate  crowns  of  our  confession  from  our  ancient  foe.  I  commend 
myself  most  humbly  and  with  all  my  heart  to  the  prayers  of  you  all. 
In  the  first  place  to  thine,  my  most  dear  and  beloved  brother  in  Christ 
Grindall,  and  of  those  brethren  most  dear  to  me  and  only  beloved  in 
the  Lord,  Cheke,  Cox,  Turner,  Lever,  Sampson,  Chambers,  and  of  all 
our  brethren  and  fellow  countrymen  who  are  residing  among  you, 
and  who  in  truth  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  commend  also  unto 
you  my  most  reverend  fathers  and  fellow  prisoners  in  the  Lord,  Thomas 
Cranmer,  most  worthy  indeed  of  the  title  of  Chief  Pastor  and  Arch 
bishop,  and  that  veteran,  the  true  apostle  of  our  Anglican  people  and 
of  Christ,  Hugh  Latimer.  Pardon  me,  my  brother,  the  prolixity  of 
this  letter,  for  after  this  I  believe  you  will  never  again  be  troubled, 
my  dearest  brother,  with  letters  of  mine.  Oxford.  ED.]] 

[*  Ridley  uses  the  word  "regem",  referring  without  doubt  to  Philip,  then  king  of  Spain, 
and  titular  king  of  England ;  and  possibly  under  the  apprehension  that  should  his  letter  be 
intercepted,  an  accusation  of  treason  might  otherwise  be  grounded  on  it  against  him.  ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  395 

dissimos  patres  et  concapticos  meos  in  Domino,  Thomam  Cran- 
merum,  jam  vere  magni  pastor  is  et  Archipresulis  nomine 
dignissimum ;  et  veteranurn  ilium  nostrcu  gentis  Anglicanw 
mrum  apostolum  et  Christi,  H.  Latimerum.  Condona  mihi, 
f rater,  Jiarum  prolixitatem ;  non  enim  posthac,  credo,  charis- 
sime  f rater,  meis  literis  jam  amplius  aliquando  tu>rbab<.'i'i*. 
Oxonii. 


LETTER  XXXII.     (COVERDALE.) 

A  Letter  which  lie  icrote  as  Ms  last  Farewell2,  To  all  Us  true 
and  faithful  friends  in  God,  a  little  before  he  suffered: 
ivith  a  sharp  admonition,  by  the  way,  to  the  papists,  the 
enemies  of  the  truth. 

AT  the  name  of  Jesus  let  every  knee  bow,  both  of  things 
in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth ; 
and  let  every  tongue  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Lord, 
unto  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.  Amen. 

As  a  man  minding  to  take  a  far  journey,  and  to  depart 
from  his  familiar  friends,  commonly  and  naturally  hath  a  desire 
to  bid  his  friends  farewell  before  his  departure ;  so  likewise 
now  I — looking  daily  when  I  should  be  called  for  to  depart 
hence  from  you,  (0  all  ye  my  dearly  beloved  brethren  and 
sisters  in  our  Saviour  Christ,  that  dwell  here  in  this  world!) 
having  a  like  mind  towards  you  all,  and  also  (blessed  be  God) 
for  this  such  time  and  leisure,  whereof  I  right  heartily  thank 
his  heavenly  goodness, — do  bid  you  all,  my  dear  brethren  and 
sisters  (I  say)  in  Christ,  that  dwell  upon  the  earth,  after  such 
manner  as  I  can,  farewell. 

Farewell,  my  dear  brother,  George  Shipside,  whom  I  have 
ever  found  faithful,  trusty,  and  loving  in  all  states  and  con 
ditions,  and  now  in  the  time  of  my  cross,  over  all  other  to 

Q'2  These  Farewells  appear  to  havo  been  written  between  the 
first  day  of  October,  1555,  when  he  was  condemned  at  Oxford  by  the 
bishops  of  Lincoln,  Gloucester,  and  Bristol,  and  the  sixteenth  of  the 
same  month,  when  he  was  burned.  It  was  during  this  interval  that 
Lord  Dacre  offered  ten  thousand  pounds  to  the  Queen  if  she  would 
spare  Ridley's  life,  which  was  refused.  ED.]] 


396  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    EJDLEY. 

me  most  friendly  and  stedfast,  and  (that  which  liked  me 
best,)  over  all  other  things  in  God's  cause  ever  hearty. 

Farewell,  my  dear  sister  Alice,  his  wife :  I  am  glad  to 
hear  of  thee  that  thou  dost  take  Christ's  cross,  which  is  laid 
now  (blessed  be  God)  both  on  thy  back  and  mine,  in  good 
part.  Thank  thou  GOD  that  hath  given  thee  a  godly  and  a 
loving  husband :  see  thou  honour  him  and  obey  him,  accord 
ing  to  God's  law.  Honour  thy  mother-in-law,  his  mother, 
and  love  all  those  that  pertain  unto  him,  being  ready  to  do 
them  good,  as  it  shall  lie  in  thy  power.  As  for  thy  children, 
I  doubt  not  of  thy  husband,  but  that  he  which  hath  given 
him  a  heart  to  love  and  fear  God,  and  in  God  them  that 
pertain  unto  him,  shall  also  make  him  friendly  and  beneficial 
unto  thy  children,  even  as  if  they  had  been  gotten  of  his 
own  body. 

Farewell,  my  well-beloved  brother,  John  Ridley,  of  the 
Waltowne,  and  you  my  gentle  and  loving  sister,  Elizabeth; 
whom,  beside  the  natural  league  of  amity,  your  tender  love 
which  you  were  said  ever  to  bear  towards  me  above  the  rest 
of  your  brethren,  doth  bind  me  to  love.  My  mind  was  to 
have  acknowledged  this  your  loving  affection,  and  to  have 
'requited,  acquitted*  it  with  deeds,  and  not  with  words  alone.  Your 
daughter  Elizabeth  I  bid  farewell,  whom  I  love  for  the  meek 
and  gentle  spirit  that  God  hath  given  her,  which  is  a  precious 
thing  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Farewell,  my  beloved  sister  of  Unthank,  with  all  your 
children,  my  nephews  and  nieces.  Since  the  departure  of 
my  brother  Hugh,  my  mind  was  to  have  been  unto  them 
in  the  stead  of  their  father;  but  the  Lord  God  must  and 
will  be  their  father,  if  they  will  love  him  and  fear  him,  and 
live  in  the  trade  of  his  law. 

Farewell,  my  well-beloved  and  worshipful  cousins,  Master 
Nicholas  Ridley  of  Willimountswick,  and  your  wife;  and  I 
thank  you  for  all  your  kindness,  shewed  both  to  me  and 
also  to  all  your  own  kinsfolk  and  mine.  Good  cousin,  as 
GOD  hath  set  you  in  that  our  stock  and  kindred,  not  for  any 
respect  of  your  person,  but  of  his  abundant  grace  and  good 
ness,  to  be  as  it  were  the  bel-wether  to  order  and  conduct 
the  rest,  and  hath  also  endued  you  with  his  manifold  gifts 
of  grace,  both  heavenly  and  worldly,  above  others ;  so  I  pray 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  397 

you,  good  cousin,  (as  my  trust  and  hope  is  in  you,)  continue 
and  increase  in  the  maintenance  of  truth,  honesty,  righteous 
ness,  and  all  true  godliness,  and  to  the  uttermost  of  your 
power,  to  withstand  falsehood,  untruth,  unrighteousness,  and 
all  ungodliness,  which  is  forbid  and  condemned  by  the  word 
and  laws  of  God. 

Farewell,  my  young  cousin,  Ealph  Whitfield.     Oh,  your 
time  was  very  short  with  me :  my  mind  was  to  have  done 
you  good,  and  yet  you  caught b  in  that  little  time  a  loss;  but  *  sustained. 
I  trust  it  shall  be  recompensed,  as  it  shall  please  Almighty 
God. 

Farewell,  all  my  whole  kindred  and  countrymen,  farewell 
in  Christ,  altogether.  The  Lord  which  is  the  searcher  of 
secrets  knoweth,  that  according  to  my  hearths  desire,  my 
hope  was  of  late  that  I  should  have  come  among  you,  and 
to  have  brought  with  me  abundance  of  Christ's  blessed 
Gospel ;  according  to  the  duty  of  that  office  and  ministry, 
whereunto  among  you  I  was  chosen,  named,  and  appointed 
by  the  mouth  of  that  our  late  peerless  prince,  king  Edward, 
and  so  also  denounced0  openly  in  his  court  by  his  privy  ^n 
council. 

I  warn  you,  all  my  well-beloved  kinsfolk  and  countrymen, 
that  ye  be  not  amazed  or  astonied  at  the  kind  of  my  de 
parture  or  dissolution :  for  I  ensure  you  I  think  it  the  most 
honour  that  ever  I  was  called  unto  in  all  my  life ;  and  there 
fore  I  thank  my  Lord  GOD  heartily  for  it,  that  it  hath 
pleased  him  to  call  me  of  his  great  mercy  unto  this  high 
honour,  to  suffer  death  willingly  for  his  sake  and  in  his 
cause ;  unto  the  which  honour  he  called  the  holy  prophets, 
and  his  dearly  beloved  apostles,  and  his  blessed,  chosen 
martyrs.  For  know  ye  that  I  doubt  no  more,  but  that  the 
causes  wherefore  I  am  put  to  death  are  God's  causes,  and 
the  causes  of  the  truth,  than  I  doubt  that  the  Gospel  which 
John  wrote  is  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  or  that  Paul's  Epistles 
are  the  very  word  of  GOD.  And  to  have  a  heart  willing 
to  abide  and  stand  in  God's  cause  and  in  Christ's  quarrel 
even  unto  death,  I  ensure  thee  (0  man)  it  is  an  inestimable 
and  an  honourable  gift  of  GOD,  given  only  to  the  true  elects 
and  dearly  beloved  children  of  GOD,  "and  inheritors  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  For  the  holy  Apostle  and  also  martyr 


398  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

i Pet. iv.  in  Christ's  cause,  St  Peter,  saith ;  "If  ye  suffer  rebuke 
in  the  name  of  Christ,  that  is,  in  Christ's  cause,  and  for  his 
truth's  sake,  then  are  ye  happy  and  blessed,  for  the  glory 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  resteth  upon  you."  If  for  rebuke's  sake, 
suffered  in  Christ's  name,  a  man  is  pronounced  by  the  mouth 
of  that  holy  Apostle  blessed  and  happy,  how  much  more 
happy  and  blessed  is  he  that  hath  the  grace  to  suffer  death 
also !  Wherefore  all  ye  that  be  my  true  lovers  and  friends, 
rejoice  and  rejoice  with  me  again,  and  render  with  me  hearty 
thanks  to  God  our  heavenly  Father,  that  for  his  Son's  sake, 
my  Saviour  and  Kedeemer  Christ,  he  hath  vouchsafed  to 
call  me,  being  else  without  his  gracious  goodness  in  myself 
but  a  sinful  and  a  vile  wretch,  to  call  me  (I  say)  unto  this 
high  dignity  of  his  true  prophets,  of  his  faithful  Apostles, 
and  of  his  holy,  elect,  and  chosen  martyrs ;  that  is,  to  die, 
and  to  spend  this  temporal  life  in  the  defence  and  maintenance 
of  his  eternal  and  everlasting  truth. 

Ye  know,  that  be  my  countrymen  dwelling  upon  the 
borders,  where  (alas)  the  true  man  suffereth  oftentimes  much 
wrong  at  the  thief's  hand,  if  it  chance  a  man  to  be  slain 
of  a  thief,  (as  it  oft  chanceth  there,)  which  went  out  with 
his  neighbour  to  help  him  to  rescue  his  goods  again;  that, 
the  more  cruelly  he  be  slain,  and  the  more  stedfastly  he 
stuck  by  his  neighbour  in  the  fight  against  the  face  of  the 
thief,  the  more  favour  and  friendship  shall  all  his  posterity 
have  for  the  slain  man's  sake  of  all  them  that  be  true,  as 

'deed.  jong  ^s  ^  memorv  of  his  factd,  and  his  posterity,  doth 
endure.  Even  so,  ye  that  be  my  kinsfolk  and  countrymen, 
know  ye,  (howsoever  the  blind,  ignorant,  and  wicked  world 
hereafter  shall  rail  upon  my  death,  which  thing  they  cannot 
do  worse  than  their  fathers  did  of  the  death  of  Christ  our 
Saviour,  of  his  holy  prophets,  Apostles,  and  martyrs;)  know 
ye,  I  say,  that  both  before  God  and  all  them  that  be  godly, 
and  that  truly  know  and  follow  the  laws  of  God,  ye  have 
and  shall  have,  by  God's  grace,  ever  cause  to  rejoice,  and 
to  thank  God  highly,  and  to  think  good  of  it,  and  in  God 
to  rejoice  of  me,  your  flesh  and  blood,  whom  God  of  his 
gracious  goodness  hath  vouchsafed  to  associate  unto  the 
blessed  company  of  his  holy  martyrs  in  heaven.  And  I  doubt 
not,  in  the  infinite  goodness  of  my  Lord  God,  nor  in  the 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  399 

faithful   fellowship    of  his   elect  and   chosen  people,   but   at 
both  their  hands,  in  my  cause,  ye  shall  rather  find  the  more 
favour  and  grace :  "  for  the  Lord  saith  that  he  will  be  both  Deut.  vu. 
to  them  and  theirs  that  love  him,  the  more  loving  again  in 
a  thousand  generations;   the   Lord  is   so   full   of  mercy  to 
them  (I  say)  and  theirs,  which  do  love  him  in  deed.     And 
Christ  saith  again,  "  that  no  man  can  shew  more  love  than  John  \\. 
to  give  his  life  for  his  friend." 

Now  also  know  ye,  all  my  true  lovers  in  God,  my  kinsfolk 
and  countrymen,  that  the  cause  wherefore  I  am  put  to  death 
is  even  after  the  same  sort  and  condition,  but  touching  more 
near  God's  cause,  and  in  more  weighty  matters,  but  in  the 
general  kind  all  one;  for  both  is  God's  cause,  both  is  in 
the  maintenance  of  right,  and  both  for  the  commonwealth, 
and  both  for  the  weal  also  of  the  Christian  brother ;  although 
yet  there  is  in  these  two  no  small  difference,  both  concerning 
the  enemies,  the  goods  stolen,  and  the  manner  of  the  fight. 
For  know  ye  all,  that  like  as  there  when  the  poor  true  man 
is  robbed  by  the  thief  of  his  own  goods  truly  gotten,  where 
upon  he  and  his  household  should  live,  he  is  greatly  wronged, 
and  the  thief  in  stealing  and  robbing  with  violence  the  poor 
man's  goods  doth  offend  God,  doth  transgress  his  law,  and 
is  injurious  both  to  the  poor  man  and  to  the  commonwealth : 
so,  I  say,  know  ye  all,  that  even  here  (in  the  cause  of  my 
death)  it  is  with  the  Church  of  England,  I  mean  the  con 
gregation  of  the  true  chosen  children  of  God  in  this  realm 
of  England,  which  I  acknowledge  not  only  to  be  my  neigh 
bours,  but  rather  the  congregation  of  my  spiritual  brethren 
and  sisters  in  Christ,  yea,  members  of  one  body,  wherein  by 
God's  grace  I  am  and  have  been  grafted  in  Christ.  This 
Church  of  England  had  of  late,  of  the  infinite  goodness  and 
abundant  grace  of  Almighty  God,  great  substance,  great 
riches  of  heavenly  treasure,  great  plenty  of  God's  true  and 
sincere  word,  the  true  and  wholesome  administration  of  Christ's 
holy  sacraments,  the  whole  profession  of  Christ's  religion 
truly  and  plainly  set  forth  in  baptism,  the  plain  declaration 
and  understanding  of  the  same  taught  in  the  holy  catechism, 
to  have  been  learned  of  all  true  Christians.  This  church 
had  also  a  true  and  sincere  form  and  manner  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  wherein,  according  to  Jesus  Christ's  own  ordinance 


400  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

and  holy  institution,  Christ's  commandments  were  executed 
and  done.  For  upon  the  bread  and  wine  set  upon  the  Lord's 
table  thanks  were  given,  the  commemoration  of  the  Lord's 
death  was  had,  the  bread  in  the  remembrance  of  Christ's  body 
torn  upon  the  cross  was  broken,  and  the  cup  in  the  re 
membrance  of  Christ's  blood  shed  was  distributed,  and  both 
communicated  unto  all  that  were  present  and  would  receive 
them,  and  also  they  were  exhorted  of  the  minister  so  to  do. 
All  was  done  openly  in  the  vulgar  tongue,  so  that  every  thing 
might  be  both  easily  heard  and  plainly  understood  of  all 
the  people,  to  God's  high  glory,  and  the  edification  of  the 
whole  church.  This  church  had  of  late  the  whole  Divine 
service,  all  common  and  public  prayers  ordained  to  be  said 
and  heard  in  the  common  congregation,  not  only  framed  and 
fashioned  to  the  true  vein  of  Holy  Scripture,  but  also  all 
things  so  set  forth  according  to  the  commandment  of  the 
Lord  and  St  Paul's  doctrine,  for  the  people's  edification,  in 
their  vulgar  tongue.  It  had  also  holy  and  wholesome  Homi 
lies,  in  commendation  of  the  principal  virtues  which  are  com 
mended  in  Scripture;  and  likewise  other  homilies  against 
the  most  pernicious  and  capital  vices  that  useth  (alas)  to 
reign  in  this  realm  of  England.  This  church  had,  in  matters 
of  controversy,  Articles  so  penned  and  framed  after  the  Holy 
Scripture,  and  grounded  upon  the  true  understanding  of  God's 
word,  that  in  short  time,  if  they  had  been  universally  received, 
they  should  have  been  able  to  have  set  in  Christ's  church 
much  concord  and  unity  in  Christ's  true  religion,  and  to  have 
expelled  many  false  errors  and  heresies,  wherewith  this  church 
(alas)  was  almost  overgone.  But  (alas)  of  late  into  this 
spiritual  possession  of  the  heavenly  treasure  of  these  godly 
riches  are  entered  in  thieves,  that  have  robbed  and  spoiled 
all  this  heavenly  treasure  away.  I  may  well  complain  on 
these  thieves,  and  cry  out  upon  them  with  the  prophet, 
Psai.  ixxix.  saymg5  Deus,  venerunt  gentes  in  hcereditatem  tuam,  etc. 
0  Lord  GOD,  the  Gentiles,  heathen  nations  are  come 
into  thy  heritage,  they  have  defiled  thy  holy  temple,  and 
made  Jerusalem  an  heap  of  stones;  that  is,  they  have 
broken  and  beat  down  to  the  ground  thy  holy  city.  This 
heathenish  generation,  these  thieves  of  Samaria,  these  Sabsei 
and  Chaldsei,  these  robbers  have  rushed  out  of  their  dens, 


LETTERS    OP    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  401 

and  have  robbed  the  Church  of  England  of  all  the  aforesaid 
holy  treasure  of  God ;  they  have  carried  it  away  and  over 
thrown  it;  and  in  the  stead  of  God's  holy  word,  the  true 
and  right  administration  of  Christ's  holy  sacraments,  as  of 
baptism  and  others,  they  mixed  their  ministry  with  men's 
foolish  phantasies,  and  many  wicked  and  ungodly  traditions 
withal.  In  the  stead  of  the  Lord's  holy  table  they  give  the 
people,  with  much  solemn  disguising,  a  thing  which  they 
call  their  mass;  but  in  deed  and  in  truth  it  is  a  very 
masking  and  mockery  of  the  true  supper  of  the  Lord,  or 
rather  I  may  call  it  a  crafty  juggling,  whereby  these  false 
thieves  and  jugglers  have  bewitched  the  minds  of  the  simple 
people,  that  they  have  brought  them  from  the  true  worship 
of  GOD  unto  pernicious  idolatry ;  and  make  them  to  believe 
that  to  be  Christ  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  which  indeed  is 
neither  God  nor  man,  nor  hath  any  life  in  itself,  but  in 
substance  is  the  creature  of  bread  and  wine,  and  in  use  of 
the  Lord's  table  is  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body  and  blood ; 
and  for0  this  holy  use,  for  the  which  the  Lord  hath  ordained  '0£n  accounfc 
them  in  his  table  to  represent  unto  us  his  blessed  body  torn 
upon  the  cross  for  us  and  his  blood  there  shed,  it  pleased 
him  to  call  them  his  body  and  blood;  which  understanding 
Christ  declareth  to  be  his  true  meaning,  when  he  saith,  "  Do 
this  in  the  remembrance  of  me."  And  again,  St  Paul  like 
wise  doth  set  out  the  same  more  plainly,  speaking  of  the 
same  sacrament  after  the  words  of  the  consecration,  saying. 
"As  often  as  ye  shall  eat  of  this  bread,  and  drink  of  this 
cup,  ye  shall  set  forth  (he  meaneth,  with  the  same)  the 
Lord's  death  until  his  coming  again."  And  here  again  these 
thieves  have  robbed  also  the  people  of  the  Lord's  cup,  con 
trary  to  the  plain  words  of  Christ  written  in  his  gospel. 

Now,  for  the  common  public  prayers  which  were  in  the 
vulgar  tongue,  these  thieves  have  brought  in  again  a  strange 
tongue,  whereof  the  people  understand  not  one  word.  Where 
in  what  do  they  else,  but  rob  the  people  of  their  divine 
service,  wherein  they  ought  to  pray  together  with  the  mi 
nister?  And  to  pray  in  a  strange  tongue,  what  is  it  but, 
as  St  Paul  calleth  it,  barbarousness,  childishness,  unprofit 
able  folly,  yea,  and  plain  madness?  For  the  godly  articles 
of  unity  in  religion,  and  for  the  wholesome  homilies,  what 

26 
[RIDLEY.] 


402  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

do  these  thieves  place  in  the  stead  of  them,  but  the  pope's 
laws  and  decrees,  lying  legends,  and  feigned  fables  and 
miracles,  to  delude  and  abuse  the  simplicity  of  the  rude 
people?  Thus  this  robbery  and  theft  is  not  only  committed, 
nay  sacrilege  and  wicked  spoil  of  heavenly  things,  but  also 
in  the  stead  of  the  same  is  brought  in  and  placed  the 
abominable  desolation  of  the  tyrant  Antiochus,  of  proud 
Sennacherib,  of  the  shameless-faced  king  of  the  Babylonical 
beast.  Unto  this  robbery,  this  theft  and  sacrilege,  for  that 
I  cannot  consent,  nor,  God  willing,  never  shall  so  long  as 
the  breath  is  in  my  body,  (because  it  is  blasphemy  against 
Grod,  high  treason  unto  Christ  our  heavenly  King,  Lord^ 
Master,  and  our  only  Saviour  and  Redeemer,  it  is  plain 
contrary  to  God's  word  and  to  Christ's  Gospel,  it  is  the 
subversion  of  all  true  godliness,  and  against  the  everlasting 
salvation  of  mine  own  soul,  and  of  all  my  brethren  and 
sisters  whom  Christ  my  Saviour  hath  so  dearly  bought 
with  no  less  price  than  with  the  effusion  and  shedding  forth 
of  his  most  precious  blood;)  therefore,  all  ye  my  true  lovers- 
In  GOD,  my  kinsfolk  and  countrymen,  for  this  cause,  I  say, 
know  ye  that  I  am  put  to  death;  which,  by  God's  gracer 
I  shall  willingly  take,  with  hearty  thanks  to  GOD  therefore, 
in  certain  hope,  without  any  doubting,  to  receive  at  God's 
hand  again,  of  his  free  mercy  and  grace,  everlasting  life, 
/case.  Although  the  cause f  of  the  true  man,  slain  of  the  thief 

helping  his  neighbour  to  recover  his  goods  again,  and  the 
cause  wherefore  I  am  to  be  put  to  death,  in  a  generality 
is  both  one,  (as  I  said  before,)  yet  know  ye  that  there  is 
no  small  difference.  These  thieves  against  whom  I  do 
stand,  are  much  worse  than  the  robbers  and  thieves  of  the 
borders.  The  goods  which  they  steal,  are  much  more  pre 
cious,  and  their  kinds  of  fight  are  far  diverse.  These  thieves 
are  worse,  I  say,  for  they  are  more  cruel,  more  wicked, 
more  false,  more  deceitful  and  crafty ;  for  those  will  but 
kill  the  body,  but  these  will  not  stick  to  kill  both  body 
and  soul.  Those,  for  the  general  theft  and  robbery,  be 
called,  and  are  indeed,  thieves  and  robbers :  but  these, 
for  their  spiritual  kind  of  robbery,  are  called  "sacrilegi;" 
as  ye  would  say,  church-robbers.  They  are  more  wicked: 
for  those  go  about  but  to  spoil  men  of  worldly  things, 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  403 

worldly  riches,  gold  and  silver,  and  worldly  substance;  these 
go  about  in  the  ways  of  the  devil,  their  ghostly  father,  to 
steal  from  the  universal  church,  and  particularly  from  every 
man,  all  heavenly  treasure,  true  faith,  true  charity,  and  hope 
of  salvation  in  the  blood  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  yea, 
to  spoil  us  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  of  his  gospel,  of  his 
heavenly  Spirit,  and  of  the  heavenly  heritage  of  the  king 
dom  of  heaven  so  dearly  purchased  unto  us  with  the  death 
of  our  Master  and  Saviour  Christ.  These  be  the  goods 
and  godly  substance  whereupon  the  Christian  before  God 
must  live,  and  without  the  which  he  cannot  live ;  these 
goods  (I  say)  these  thieves,  these  church -robbers  go  about 
to  spoil  us  of.  The  which  goods,  as  to  the  man  of  God 
they  excel  and  far  pass  all  worldly  treasure ;  so  to  with 
stand,  even  unto  the  death,  such  thieves  as  go  about  to 
spoil  both  us  and  the  whole  church  of  such  goods,  is  most 
high  and  honourable  service  done  unto  God.  These  church- 
robbers  be  also  much  more  false,  crafty,  and  deceitful,  than 
the  thieves  upon  the  borders :  for  these  have  not  the  craft 
so  to  commend  their  theft  that  they  dare  avouch  it ;  and 
therefore,  as  acknowledging  themselves  to  be  evil,  they  steal 
commonly  upon  the  night,  they  dare  not  appear  at  judge 
ments  and  sessions,  where  justice  is  executed;  and  when 
they  are  taken  and  brought  thither,  they  never  hang  any 
man,  but  they  be  oftentimes  hanged  for  their  faults.  But 
these  church-robbers  can  so  cloke  and  colour  their  spiritual 
robbery,  that  they  can  make  the  people  to  believe  falsehood 
to  be  truth,  and  truth  falsehood;  good  to  be  evil,  and 
evil  good ;  light  to  be  darkness,  and  darkness  light ;  super 
stition  to  be  true  religion,  and  idolatry  to  be  the  true  wor 
ship  of  God;  and  that  which  is  in  substance  the  creature 
of  bread  and  wine,  to  be  none  other  substance  but  only 
the  substance  of  Christ,  the  living  Lord,  both  God  and  man. 
And  with  this  their  falsehood  and  craft  they  can  so  juggle 
and  bewitch  the  understanding  of  the  simple,  that  they  dare 
avouch  it  openly  in  court  and  in  town,  and  fear  neither 
hanging  nor  heading,  as  the  poor  thieves  of  the  borders  do, 
but  stout  and  strong  like  Nembroth  dare  condemn  to  be 
burned  in  flaming  fire,  quick  and  alive,  whosoever  will  go 
about  to  betray  their  falsehood. 

95 o 


404  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

The  kind  of  fight  against  these  church-robbers  is  also 
of  another  sort  and  kind,  than  is  that  which  is  against  the 
thieves  of  the  borders.  For  there  the  true  men  go  forth 
against  them  with  spear  and  lance,  with  bow  and  bill,  and 
all  such  kind  of  bodily  weapons  as  the  true  men  have ;  but 
here,  as  the  enemies  be  of  another  nature,  so  the  watch 
men  of  Christ's  flock,  the  warriors  that  fight  in  the  Lord's 
war,  must  be  armed  and  fight  with  another  kind  of  wea 
pon  and  armour.  For  here  the  enemies  of  God,  the  soldiers 
of  antichrist,  although  the  battle  is  set  forth  against  the 
church  by  mortal  men  being  flesh  and  blood,  and  neverthe 
less  members  of  their  father  the  devil;  yet  for  that  their 
grand  master  is  the  power  of  darkness,  their  members  are 
spiritual  wickedness,  wicked  spirits,  spirits  of  errors,  of 
heresies,  of  all  deceit  and  ungodliness,  spirits  of  idolatry, 

Ephes.vi.  superstition  and  hypocrisy,  which  are  called  of  St  Paul 
prindpates  and  powers,  lords  of  the  world,  rulers  of  the 
darkness  of  this  world,  and  spiritual  subtilties  concerning 
heavenly  things :  and  therefore  our  weapons  must  be  fit  and 
meet  to  fight  against  such ;  not  carnal  nor  bodily  weapons, 
as  spear  and  lance,  but  spiritual  and  heavenly;  we  must 
fight  against  sucli  with  the  armour  of  God,  not  intending 
to  kill  their  bodies,  but  their  errors,  their  false  craft  and 
heresies,  their  idolatry,  superstition,  and  hypocrisy,  and  to 
save  (as  much  as  lieth  in  us)  both  their  bodies  and  souls. 

Ephes.vi.  And  therefore,  as  St  Paul  teacheth  us,  we  fight  not  against 
flesh  and  blood,  that  is,  we  fight  not  with  bodily  weapons 
to  kill  the  man,  but  with  the  weapons  of  God,  to  put  to 
flight  his  wicked  errors  and  vice,  and  to  save  both  body 
and  soul.  Our  weapons  therefore  are  faith,  hope,  charity, 
righteousness,  truth,  patience,  prayer  unto  God ;  and  our 
sword  wherewith  we  smite  our  enemies,  we  beat  and  batter 
and  bear  down  all  falsehood,  is  the  word  of  God.  With 
these  weapons,  under  the  banner  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  we 
do  fight,  ever  having  our  eye  upon  our  grand  Master,  Duke 
and  Captain,  Christ :  and  then  we  reckon  ourselves  to 
triumph  and  to  win  the  crown  of  everlasting  bliss,  when, 
enduring  in  this  battle  without  any  shrinking  or  yielding  to 
the  enemies,  after  the  example  of  our  grand  captain,  Christ 
our  Master,  after  the  example  of  his  holy  prophets,  apostles, 


LETTERS    OF     BISHOP     RIDLEY.  405 

and  martyrs,  when  (I  say)  we  are  slain  in  our  mortal  bodies 

of  our  enemies,  and  are  most  cruelly  and  without  all  mercy 

murdered  down  like  a  manyg  of  sheep.     And  the  more  cruel,  ? multitude. 

the  more  painful,  the  more  vile  and  spiteful  is  the  kind  of 

the  death  whereunto  we  be  put,  the  more  glorious  in  God, 

the  more  blessed  and  happy  we  reckon,  without  all  doubts, 

our  martyrdom  to  be. 

And   thus    much,   dear   lovers   and  friends   in   God,  my 
countrymen  and  kinsfolk,   I  have  spoken   for  your   comfort, 
lest    of  my   death    (of  whose   life   you  looked   peradventure 
sometimes  to  have  had  honesty,  pleasures,  and  commodities,) 
ye  might  be  abashed  or  think  any  evil :    whereas   ye   have 
rather  cause  to  rejoice,  (if  ye  love  me  indeed,)  for  that  it 
hath  pleased  God  to  call  me  to  a  greater  honour  and  dig 
nity,  than  ever  I  did  enjoy  before,  either  in  Rochester  or 
in  the  see  of  London,  or  ever  should  have  had  in  the  see 
of  Durham,  whereunto  I  was  last  of  all  elected  and  named. 
Yea,   I  count  it  greater  honour  before  God  indeed  to  die 
in  his  cause,  (whereof  I  nothing  doubt,)  than  is  any  earthly 
or  temporal  promotion  or  honour  that   can  be  given  to   a 
man    in    this    world.     And    who    is   he   that    knoweth    the 
cause  to  be  God's,  to  be  Christ's  quarrel  and  of  his  gospel, 
to  be  the  common  weal  of  all  the  elect  and  chosen  children 
of  God,  of  all  the  inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  who 
is  he,   I   say,  that   knoweth   this   assuredly  by  God's  word, 
and  the  testimony  of  his  own  conscience,  (as  I  through  the 
infinite  goodness   of  God,  not  of  myself,  but  by  his  grace, 
acknowledge  myself  to  do,)  who  is  he,  I  say,  tliat  knoweth 
this,  and  both  loveth  and  feareth  God  in  deed  and  in  truth, 
loveth    and    believeth    his    Master    Christ    and    his    blessed 
gospel,  loveth  his  brotherhood,  the  chosen  children  of  God, 
and  also  lusteth  and  longeth  for  everlasting  life — who  is  he 
(I  say  again)  that  would  not  or  cannot  find  in  his  heart,  in 
this  cause  to  be  content  to  die  *.    The  Lord  forbid  that  any 
such  should  be,  that  should  forsake  this  grace  of  God !    I 
trust  in  my  Lord  God,  the  God  of  mercies  and  the  Father 
of  all    comfort,    through    Jesus    Christ    our    Lord,   that    he 
which  hath  put  this  mind,  will,  and  affection  by  his  Holy 
Spirit  in  my  heart,  to  stand  against  the  face  of  the  enemy 
in  his  cause,  and  to  choose  rather  the  loss  of  all  my  worldly 


406  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

substance,  yea,  and  of  my  life  too,  than  to  deny  his  known 
truth,  that  he  will  comfort  me,  aid  me,  and  strengthen  me 
evermore  even  unto  the  end,  and  to  the  yielding  up  of  my 
spirit  and  soul  into  his  holy  hands :  whereof  I  most  heartily 
beseech  his  most  holy  sacred  Majesty,  of  his  infinite  good-1 
3S  and  mercy,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

Now  that  I  have  taken  my  leave  of  my  countrymen  and 
kinsfolks,  and  the  Lord  doth  lend  me  life  and  giveth  me 
leisure,  I  will  bid  my  other  good  friends  in  God,  of  other 
places  also,  farewell.  And  whom  first  or  before  other,  than 
the  University  of  Cambridge?  whereat  I  have  dwelt  longer, 
found  more  faithful  and  hearty  friends,  received  more  bene 
fits,  (the  benefits  of  my  natural  parents  only  excepted,)  than 
ever  I  did  even  in  mine  own  native  country  wherein  I  was 
born. 

Farewell  therefore,  Cambridge,  my  loving  mother  and 
tender  nurse !  If  I  should  not  acknowledge  thy  manifold 
benefits,  yea,  if  I  should  not  for  thy  benefits  at  the  least 
love  thee  again,  truly  I  were  to  be  accounted  ungrate  and 
unkind.  What  benefits  hadst  thou  ever,  that  thou  usest  to 
give  and  bestow  upon  thy  best  beloved  children,  that  thou 
thoughtest  too  good  for  me?  Thou  didst  bestow  on  me  all 
thy  school  degrees :  of  thy  common  offices,  the  chaplainship 
of  the  University,  the  office  of  the  proctorship,  and  of  a 
common  reader ;  and  of  thy  private  commodities,  and  emolu 
ments  in  colleges,  what  was  it  that  thou  madest  me  not 
partner  of?  First,  to  be  scholar,  then  fellow,  and  after  my 
departure  from  thee  thou  calledst  me  again  to  a  mastership 
of  a  right  worshipful  college.  I  thank  thee,  my  loving- 
mother,  for  all  this  thy  kindness;  and  I  pray  God  that  his 
laws,  and  the  sincere  gospel  of  Christ,  may  ever  be  truly 
taught  and  faithfully  learned  in  thee. 

Farewell,  Pembroke  Hall,  of  late  mine  own  college,  my 
cure  and  my  charge !  What  case  thou  art  in  now,  God 
•since.  knoweth,  I  know  not  well.  Thou  wast  ever  named  sithens1 
I  knew  thee  (which  is  now  a  thirty  years  ago,)  to  be  studious, 
well  learned,  and  a  great  setter  forth  of  Christ's  gospel  and 
of  God's  true  word :  so  I  found  thee,  and,  blessed  be  God ! 
so  I  left  thee  indeed.  Woe  is  me  for  thee,  mine  own  dear 
college,  if  ever  thou  suffer  thyself  by  any  means  to  be  brought 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  40*7 

from  that  trade.  In  thy  orchard1  (the  walls,  butts,  and 
trees,  if  they  could  speak,  would  bear  me  witness,)  I  learned 
without  book  almost  all  Paul's  epistles,  yea  and,  I  ween, 
all  the  canonical  epistles,  save  only  the  Apocalypse.  Of 
which  study,  although  in  time  a  great  part  did  depart  from 
me,  yet  the  sweet  smell  thereof,  I  trust,  I  shall  carry  with 
me  into  heaven:  for  the  profit  thereof  I  think  I  have  felt 
in  all  my  lifetime  ever  after;  and  I  ween,  of  late  (whether 
they  abide  there  now  or  no  I  cannot  tell,)  there  was  that 
did  the  like.  The  Lord  grant,  that  this  zeal  and  love  toward 
that  part  of  God's  word,  which  is  a  key  and  a  true  com 
mentary  to  ah1  holy  Scripture,  may  ever  abide  in  that  college, 
so  long  as  the  world  shall  endure. 

From  Cambridge  I  was  called  into  Kent  by  the  arch 
bishop  of  Canterbury,  Thomas  Cranmer,  that  most  reverend 
father  and  man  of  God,  and  of  him  by  and  by  sent  to  be 
vicar  of  Herne  in  East  Kent2.  Wherefore  farewell,  Herne, 
thou  worshipful  and  wealthy  parish !  the  first  cure  where - 
unto  I  was  called,  to  minister  God's  word.  Thou  hast  heard 
of  my  mouth  oftentimes  the  word  of  God  preached,  not 
after  the  popish  trade,  but  after  the  Christ's  gospel :  oh  that 
the  fruit  had  answered  to  the  seed !  And  yet  I  must  ac 
knowledge  me  to  be  thy  debtor  for  the  doctrine  of  the 
Lord's  supper;  which  at  that  time,  I  acknowledge,  God  had 
not  revealed  unto  me:  but  I  bless  God  ink  all  that  godly  *for- 
virtue  and  zeal  of  God's  word,  which  the  Lord  by  preaching 
of  his  word  did  kindle  manifestly  both  in  the  heart  and  in 
the  life  and  works  of  that  godly  woman  there,  my  lady 
Phines3.  The  Lord  grant  that  his  word  took  like  effect  there 
in  many  other  more. 

Farewell,  thou  cathedral  church  of  Canterbury,  the  me- 
tropolitic  see,  whereof  once  I  was  a  member !  To  speak 
things  pleasant  unto  thee  I  dare  not,  for  danger  of  con 
science  and  displeasure  of  my  Lord  God ;  and  to  say  what 

[x  There  is  a  walk  in  the  garden  of  Pembroke  College  still  dis 
tinguished  by  the  name  of  Ridley's  walk.    ED.] 

£2  Instituted  April  30,  1538.    Resigned  1549.    ED.] 
jj*  Sir  John  Fineux,  Knt.  was  Lord  of  the  Manor  of  Herne,  and 
his  wife  Elizabeth,  who  died  A.D.  1589,  was  probably  the  lady  here 
referred  to.    ED.] 


408  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    KIDLEY. 

lieth  in  my  heart,  were  now  too  much,  and  I  fear  were  able 
to  do  thee  now  but  little  good.  Nevertheless,  for  the 
friendship  I  have  found  in  some  there,  and  for  charity  sake, 
I  wish  thee  to  be  washed  clean  of  all  worldliness  and  ungod 
liness,  that  thou  mayest  be  found  of  God  (after  thy  name) 
Christ's  church  in  deed  and  in  truth. 

Farewell,  Eochester,  sometime  my  cathedral  see  !  in  whom 
(to  say  the  truth)  I  did  find  much  gentleness  and  obedience ; 
and  I  trust  thou  wilt  not  say  the  contrary,  but  I  did  use  it 
to  God's  glory,  and  thine  own  profit  in  God.  Oh  that  thou 
hadst  and  mightest  have  continued  and  gone  forward  in  the 
trade  of  God's  law,  wherein  I  did  leave  thee  !  then  thy 
charge  and  burden  should  not  have  been  so  terrible  and 
dangerous,  as  I  suppose  verily  it  is  like  to  be  (alas !)  on 
the  latter  day. 

To  Westminster  other  advertisement  in  God  I  have  not 
now  to  say,  than  I  have  said  before  to  the  cathedral  church 
of  Canterbury ;  and  so  God  give  thee  of  his  grace  that  thou 
mayest  learn  in  deed  and  in  truth  to  please  him,  after  his 
own  laws.  And  thus  fare  you  well. 

Oh  London,  London !  to  whom  now  may  I  speak  in  thee, 
or  whom  shall  I  bid  farewell?  Shall  I  speak  to  the  pre 
bendaries  of  Paul's  ?  Alas !  all  that  loved  God's  word,  and 
were  true  setters  forth  thereof,  are  now  (as  I  hear  say) 
some  burnt  and  slain,  some  exiled  and  banished,  and  some 
holden  in  hard  prisons,  and  appointed  daily  to  be  put  to 
most  cruel  death,  for  Christ's  gospel  sake.  As  for  the  rest 
of  them,  I  know  they  could  never  brook  me  well,  nor  I 
could  never  delight  in  them.  Shall  I  speak  to  the  see  thereof, 
wherein  of  late  I  was  placed  almost,  and  not  fully,  by  the 
space  of  three  years  2  But  what  may  I  say  to  it,  being  (as  I 
hear  say  I  am)  deposed  and  expulsed  by  judgment,  as  an  un 
just  usurper  of  that  room  2  Oh  judgment,  judgment !  Can  this 
be  just  judgment,  to  condemn  the  chief  minister  of  God's 
word,  the  pastor  and  bishop  of  the  diocese,  and  never  bring 
him  into  judgment,  that  he  might  have  heard  what  crimes 
were  laid  to  his  charge,  nor  never  suffer  him  to  have  any 
place  or  time  to  answer  for  himself  I  Thinkest  thou  that 
hereafter,  when  true  justice  shall  have  place,  that  this  judg 
ment  can  be  allowed  either  of  God  or  of  man?  Well,  as 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  409 

for  the  cause  and  whole  matter  of  my  deposition,  and  the 
spoil  of  my  goods  which  thou  possessest  yet,  I  refer  it  unto 
God,  which  is  a  just  Judge  ;  and  I  beseech  God,  if  it  be 
his  pleasure,  that  that  which  is  but  my  personal  wrong 
be  not  kid  to  thy  charge  in  the  latter  day — this  only  can 
I  pray  for. 

O  thou  now  wicked  and  bloody  see,  why  dost  thou  set  up 
again  many  altars  of  idolatry,  which  by  the  word  of  God 
were  justly  taken  away  I  Oh  why  hast  thou  overthrown  the 
Lord's  table  I  Why  dost  thou  daily  delude  the  people,  mask 
ing  in  thy  masses,  in  the  stead  of  the  Lord's  holy  supper, 
which  ought  to  be  common  as  well  (saith  Chrysostom, 
yea,  the  Lord  himself,)  to  the  people  as  to  the  priest  I 
How  darest  thou  deny  to  the  people  of  Christ,  contrary  to 
his  express  commandment  in  the  gospel,  his  holy  cup? 
Why  babblest  thou  to  the  people  the  common  prayer  in  a 
strange  tongue  \  wherein  St  Paul  commandeth,  in  the  Lord's 
name,  that  no  man  should  speak  before  the  congregation, 
except  it  should  be  by  and  by  declared  in  their  common 
tongue,  that  all  might  be  edified.  Nay,  hearken,  thou 
whorish  bawd  of  Babylon,  thou  wicked  limb  of  antichrist, 
thou  bloody  wolf;  why  slayest  thou  down  and  makest  havoc 
of  the  prophets  of  God?  Why  murderest  thou  so  cruelly 
Christ's  poor  seely1  sheep,  which  will  not  hear  thy  voice  be-  'simple, 
cause  thou  art  a  stranger,  and  will  follow  none  other  but 
their  own  pastor  Christ  his  voice  \  Thinkest  thou  to  escape, 
or  that  the  Lord  will  not  require  the  blood  of  his  saints  at 
thy  hands?  Thy  god,  which  is  the  work  of  thy  hands,  and 
whom  thou  sayest  thou  hast  power  to  make — that  thy  deaf 
and  dumb1  god  (I  say)  will  not  indeed  nor  cannot  (although 
thou  art  not  ashamed  to  call  him  thy  Maker,)  make  thee  to 
escape  the  revenging  hand  of  the  high  and  Almighty  God. 
But  be  thou  assured,  that  the  living  Lord  our  Saviour  and 
lledeemer,  which  sitteth  now  on  the  right  hand  of  his  Father 
in  glory — he  seeth  all  thy  wicked  ways  and  cruelty  done  to 
his  dear  members,  and  he  will  not  forget  his  holy  ones; 
and  his  hands  shalt  thou  never  escape.  Instead  of  my  fare 
well  to  thee,  now  I  say,  Fie  upon  thee,  fie  upon  thee,  filthy 
drab,  and  all  thy  false  prophets ! 

f1  The  consecrated  wafer.    ED.] 


, 


410 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


Yet,  0  thou  London,  I  may  not  leave  thee  thus.  Al 
though  thy  episcopal  see,  now  being  joined  in  league  with 
the  seat  of  Satan,  thus  hath  now  both  handled  me  and  the 
saints  of  God,  yet  I  do  not  doubt  but  in  that  great  city 
there  be  many  privy  mourners  which  do  daily  mourn  for 
that  mischief;  the  which  never  did,  nor  shall,  consent  to 
that  wickedness,  but  do  detest  and  abhor  it  as  the  ways  of 
Satan.  But  these  privy  mourners  here  I  will  pass  by,  and 
bid  them  farewell  with  their  fellows  hereafter,  when  the 
place  and  occasion  shall  more  conveniently  require.  Among 
fnj?  fM.°c."  tne  worshipful  of  the  city,  and  specially  which  were  in  office 
of  the  mayoralty,  (yea,  and  in  other  citizens  also  whom  to 
name  now  it  shall  not  be  necessary,)  in  the  time  of  my 
ministry,  which  was  from  the  latter  part  of  Sir  Rowland1 
Hill's  year  unto  Sir  George  Barneses  year  and  a  great  part 
thereof,  I  do  acknowledge  that  I  found  no  small  humanity 
and  gentleness,  as  methought :  but  (to  say  the  truth)  that 
I  do  esteem  above  all  other  for  true  Christian  kindness,  which 
is  shewed  in  God's  cause  and  done  for  his  sake.  Where 
fore,  0  Dobbes,  Dobbes,  alderman  and  knight,  thou  in  thy 
year  didst  win  my  heart  for  evermore,  for  that  honourable  act, 
that  most  blessed  work  of  God,  of  the  erection  and  setting 
up  of  Christ's  holy  hospitals  and  truly  religious  houses, 
which  by  thee  and  through  thee  were  begun.  For  thou, 
like  a  man  of  God,  when  the  matter  was  moved  for  the 
relief  of  Christ's  poor  seely  members,  to  be  holpen  from 
extreme  misery,  hunger,  and  famine,  thy  heart  (I  say)  was 
moved  with  pity:  and  as  Christ's  high  honourable  officer  in 
that  cause,  thou  calledst  together  thy  brethren,  the  aldermen 
of  the  city,  before  whom  thou  brakest  the  matter  for  the 
poor,  thou  didst  plead  their  cause,  yea,  and  not  only  in 
thine  own  person  thou  didst  set  forth  Christ's  cause,  but  to 
further  the  matter,  thou  broughtest  me  into  the  council 
chamber  of  the  city,  before  the  aldermen  alone,  whom  thou 
hadst  assembled  there  together  to  hear  me  speak  what  I 
could  say,  as  an  advocate  by  office  and  duty  in  the  poor 
men's  cause.  The  Lord  wrought  with  thee,  and  gave  thee 
the  consent  pf  thy  brethren,  whereby  the  matter  was  brought 

Q  Sir  Rowland  Hill  was  Lord  Mayor,  A.D.  1549-50,  and  Sir  Geo. 
Barnes,  A.D.  1552-53.     Maitland's  History  of  London.    ED.] 


LETTERS    OF    I3ISHOP    KIDLEY.  411 

to  the  common  council,  and  so  to  the  whole  body  of  the 
city,  by  whom  with  an  uniform  consent  it  was  committed 
to  be  drawn,  ordered,  and  devised  by  a  certain  number  of 
the  most  witty  citizens  and  politic,  endued  also  with  godli 
ness  and  with  ready  hearts  to  set  forward  such  a  noble  act, 
as  could  be  chosen  in  all  the  whole  city :  and  they,  like  true 
and  faithful  ministers  both  to  their  city  and  their  master 
Christ,  so  ordered,  devised,  and  brought  forth  the  matter, 
that  thousands  of  seely  poor  members  of  Christ,  which  else 
from  extreme  hunger  and  misery  should  have  famished  and 
perished,  shall  be  relieved,  holpen  and  brought  up,  and  shall 
have  cause  to  bless  the  aldermen  of  that  time,  the  common 
council,  and  the  whole  body  of  the  city,  but  specially  thee, 
O  Dobbes2,  and  those  chosen  men  by  whom  this  honourable 
work  of  God  was  begun  and  wrought ;  and  that,  so  long 
through  all  ages  as  that  godly  work  shall  endure,  which  I 
pray  Almighty  God  may  be  ever  unto  the  world's  end. 
Amen. 

And  thou,  0  Sir  George  Barnes,  (the  truth  it  is  to  be 
confessed  to  God's  glory  and  to  the  good  example  of  other,) 
thou  wast  in  thy  year  not  only  a  furtherer  and  continuer  of 
that  which,  before  thee,  by  thy  predecessor  was  well  begun, 
but  also  didst  labour  so  to  have  perfected  the  work,  that 
it  should  have  been  an  absolute1"  thing,  and  a  perfect  spec-  m  complete, 
tacle  of  true  charity  and  godliness  unto  all  Christendom. 
Thine  endeavour  was  to  have  set  up  an  house  of  occupa 
tions :  both  that  all  kind  of  poverty,  being  able  to  work, 
should  not  have  lacked  whereupon  profitably  they  might  have 
been  occupied  to  their  own  relief,  and  to  the  profit  and 
commodity  of  the  commonwealth  of  the  city ;  and  also  to  have 
retired  thither  the  poor  babes  brought  up  in  the  hospitals, 
when  they  had  come  to  a  certain  age  and  strength,  and  also 
all  those  which  in  the  hospitals  aforesaid  had  been  cured  of 
their  diseases.  And  to  have  brought  this  to  pass,  thou  ob- 
tainedst  (not  without  great  diligence  and  labour  both  of  thee 

[2  Sir  Richard  Dobbs  was  Lord  Mayor,  A.D.  1551-52.  He  was  very 
active  in  promoting  the  foundation  of  Christ's  Hospital,  also  of  those 
of  Bethlehem,  and  St  Bartholomew,  and  Bridewell.  These  were  all 
established  by  Royal  Charter  a  few  weeks  before  the  death  of  the 
king.  Maitland's  History  of  London.  ED.] 


412  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

and  thy  brethren,)  of  that  godly  king  Edward,  that  Christian 
and  peerless  prince's  hand,  his  princely  place  of  Bridewell; 
and  what  other  things  to  the  performance  of  the  same,  and 
under  what  condition,  is  not  unknown.  That  this  thine  endea 
vour  hath  not  had  like  success,  the  fault  is  not  in  thee, 
but  in  the  condition  and  state  of  the  time ;  which  the  Lord 
of  his  infinite  mercy  vouchsafe  to  amend,  when  it  shall  be 
his  gracious  will  and  pleasure. 

Farewell  now,  all  ye  citizens  that  be  of  God,  of  what 
state  and  condition  soever  you  be !  Undoubtedly,  in  London 
you  have  heard  God's  word  truly  preached.  My  heart's  de 
sire  and  daily  prayer  shall  be  for  you,  (as  for  whom,  for 
my  time,  I  know  to  my  Lord  God  I  am  accountable)  that 
ye  never  swerve,  neither  for  loss  of  life  nor  worldly  goods, 
from  God's  holy  word,  and  yield  unto  antichrist ;  where 
upon  must  needs  follow  the  extreme  displeasure  of  God,  and 
the  loss  both  of  your  bodies  and  souls  into  perpetual  dam 
nation  for  evermore. 

Now  that  I  have  gone  through  the  places,  where  I  have 
dwelt  any  space  in  the  time  of  my  pilgrimage  here  upon 
earth,  remembering  that  for  the  space  of  king  Edward's  reign, 
which  was  for  the  time  of  mine  office  in  the  sees  of  Lon 
don  and  Rochester,  I  was  a  member  of  the  higher  house 
of  the  parliament ;  therefore,  (seeing  my  God  hath  given  me 
leisure  and  the  remembrance  thereof,)  I  will  bid  my  lords 
of  the  temporally  farewell.  They  shall  have  no  just  cause 
(by  God's  grace)  to  take  it,  that  I  intend  to  say,  in  ill 
part.  As  for  the  spiritual  prelacy  that  now  is,  I  have  no 
thing  to  say  to  them,  except  I  should  repeat  again  a  great 
part  of  that  I  have  said  before  now  already  to  the  see  of 
London.  To  you  therefore,  my  lords  of  the  temporally,  will 
I  speak:  and  this  would  I  have  you  first  to  understand, 
that  when  I  wrote  this,  I  looked  daily  when  I  should  be 
called  to  the  change  of  this  life,  and  thought  that  this  my 
writing  should  not  come  to  your  knowledge,  before  the  time 
of  the  dissolution  of  my  body  and  soul  should  be  expired. 
And  therefore  know  ye,  that  I  had  before  mine  eyes  only 
the  fear  of  God  and  Christian  charity  towards  you,  which 
moved  me  to  write :  for  of  you  hereafter  I  look  not,  in  this 
world,  either  for  pleasure  or  displeasure.  If  my  talk  shall 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  413 

do  you  never  so  much  pleasure  or  profit,  you  cannot  pro 
mote  me ;  nor  if  I  displease  you,  you  cannot  hurt  or  harm 
me,  for  I  shall  be  out  of  your  reach.  Now  therefore,  if 
you  fear  God,  and  can  be  content  to  hear  the  talk  of  him 
that  seeketh  nothing  at  your  hands,  but  to  serve  God  and 
to  do  you  good,  hearken  to  what  I  say. 

I  say  unto  you,  as  St  Paul  saith  unto  the  Galatians,  I  Gal' ul< 
wonder   (my   lords)   what   hath   bewitched   you,   that    ye    so 
suddenly  are  fallen  from  Christ  unto  antichrist,  from  Christ's 
gospel   unto   men's  traditions,   from   the    Lord   that   bought 
you  unto  the  bishop  now  of  Home. 

I  warn  you  of  your  peril ;  be  not  deceived ;  except  you 
will  be  found  willingly,  consenters  to  your  own  death.  For 
if  ye  think  thus — We  are  laymen ;  this  is  a  matter  of  reli 
gion;  we  follow  as  we  are  taught  and  led;  if  our  teachers 
and  governors  teach  us  and  lead  us  amiss,  the  fault  is  in 
them,  they  shall  bear  the  blame :  my  lords,  this  is  true  (I 
grant  you)  that  both  the  false  teacher,  and  the  corrupt 
governor,  shall  be  punished  for  the  death  of  their  subject 
whom  they  have  falsely  taught  and  corruptly  led,  yea,  and 
his  blood  shall  be  required  at  their  hands :  but  yet  never-  Ezek- ui- 
theless  shall  that  subject  die  the  death  himself  also,  that  is, 
he  shall  also  be  damned  for  his  own  sin;  for  if  the  blind 
lead  the  blind,  Christ  saith,  not  the  leader  only,  but  (heLukcvi- 
saith)  both  shall  fall  in  the  ditch.  Shall  the  synagogue 
and  the  senate  of  the  Jews,  trow  ye,  which  forsook  Christ  and 
consented  to  his  death,  therefore  be  excused,  because  Annas 
and  Caiaphas,  with  the  scribes  and  pharisees  and  their  clergy, 
did  teach  them  amiss !  (yea,  and  also  Pilate,  their  governor  and 
the  emperor's  lieutenant,  by  his  tyranny  did  without  cause  put 
him  to  death.)  Forsooth  no,  my  lords,  no  :  for  notwithstanding 
that  corrupt  doctrine,  or  Pilate's  washing  of  his  hands,  neither 
of  both  shall  excuse  either  that  synagogue  and  seigniory,  or 
Pilate ;  but  at  the  Lord's  hand,  for  the  effusion  of  that  inno 
cent's  blood,  on  the  latter  day  all  shall  drink  of  the  deadly 
whip — ye  are  witty,  and  understand  what  I  mean1.  Therefore 
I  will  pass  over  this,  and  return  to  tell  you  how  ye  are  fallen 
from  Christ,  to  his  adversary  the  bishop  of  Rome. 

j]1  There  seems  here  to  be  some  allusion  to  contemporaneous  trans 
actions,  the  meaning  of  which  is  now  lost. 


414 


LETTERS    OP    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


And  lest,  my  lords,  ye  may  peradventure  think,  thus  barely 
to  call  the  bishop  of  Rome  Christ's  adversary,  or  (to  speak 
it  in  plain  terms)  to  call  him  antichrist,  that  it  is  done  in 
mine  anguish,  and  that  I  do  but  rage,  and  as  a  desperate 
man  do  not  care  what  I  say,  or  upon  whom  I  do  rail: 
therefore,  that  your  lordships  may  perceive  my  mind,  and 
Acts'xxvi.  thereby  understand  that  "  I  speak  the  words  of  truth  and  of 
sobriety"  (as  St  Paul  said  unto  Festus),  be  it  known  unto  your 
lordships  all,  that  as  concerning  the  bishop  of  Borne,  I  neither 
hate  the  person  nor  the  place. 

For  I  ensure  your  lordships  (the  living  Lord  beareth  me 
•witness,  before  whom  I  speak),  I  do  think  many  a  good  holy 
man,  many  martyrs  and  saints  of  God,  have  sat  and  taught 
in  that  place  Christ's  gospel  truly;  which  therefore  justly 
may  be  called  Apostolici,  that  is,  true  disciples  of  the  Apostles, 
and  also  that  church  and  congregation  of  Christians  an  apo 
stolic  church,  yea  and  that,  certain  hundred  years  after  the 
same  was  first  erected  and  builded  upon  Christ,  by  the  true 
apostolical  doctrine  taught  by  the  mouths  of  the  Apostles 
themselves. 

If  ye  will  know  how  long  that  was,  and  how  many  hun 
dred  of  years,  to  be  curious  in  pointing  the  precise  number 
of  years  I  will  not  be  too  bold :  but  thus  I  say ;  so  long 
and  so  many  hundred  years  as  that  see  did  truly  teach  and 
preach  that  gospel,  that  religion,  exercised  that  power,  and 
ordered  every  thing  by  those  laws  and  rules,  which  that  see 
received  of  the  Apostles,  and  (as  Tertullian  saith)  the  Apostles 
of  Christ,  and  Christ  of  God;  so  long  (I  say)  that  see 
might  well  have  been  called  Peter  and  Paul's  chair  and  see, 
or  rather  Christ's  chair,  and  the  bishop  thereof  Apostolicus, 
or  a  true  disciple  and  successor  of  the  Apostles,  and  a  mi 
nister  of  Christ.  But  since  the  time  that  that  see  hath 
degenerated  from  the  trade  of  truth  and  true  religion,  the 
which  it  received  of  the  Apostles  at  the  beginning ;  and  hath 
preached  another  gospel,  hath  set  up  another  religion, 
hath  exercised  another  power,  and  hath  taken  upon  it  to 
order  and  rule  the  church  of  Christ  by  other  strange  laws, 
canons  and  rules,  than  ever  it  received  of  the  Apostles,  or 
the  Apostles  of  Christ,  which  things  it  doth  at  this  day  and 
hath  continued  so  doing  (alas,  alas !).  of  too  too  long  a  time 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  415 

— since  the  time  (I  say)  that  the  state  and  condition  of  that 
see  hath  thus  been  changed  in  truth,  it  ought,  of  duty  and 
of  right,  to  have  the  names  changed,  both  of  the  see  and 
of  the  sitter  therein.  For  understand,  my  lords :  it  was  nei 
ther  for  the  privilege  of  the  place  or  person  thereof,  that 
that  see  and  bishop  thereof  were  called  Apostolic ;  but  for 
the  true  trade  of  Christ's  religion,  which  was  taught  and 
maintained  in  that  see  at  the  first,  and  of  those  godly  men. 
And  therefore  as  truly  and  justly  as  that  see  then,  for  that 
true  trade  of  religion  and  consanguinity  of  doctrine  with  the 
religion  and  doctrine  of  Christ's  Apostles,  was  called  apo 
stolic  ;  so  as  truly  and  as  justly,  for  the  contrariety  of  reli 
gion  and  diversity  of  doctrine  from  Christ  and  his  Apostles, 
that  see  and  the  bishop  thereof  at  this  day  both  ought  to 
be  called,  and  are  indeed,  antichristian. 

The  see  is  the  seat  of  Satan ;  and  the  bishop  of  the  same, 
that  maintaineth  the  abominations  thereof,  is  antichrist  him 
self  indeed.  And  for  the  same  causes  this  see  at  this  day 
is  the  same  which  St  John  calleth  in  his  Eevelation  Babylon,  AP°C-  xvii 
or  the  whore  of  Babylon,  and  spiritually  Sodoma  and  Egyptus,  AP°C-  xL 
the  mother  of  fornications  and  of  the  abominations  upon 
the  earth.  And  with  this  whore  doth  spiritually  melln,  and  "meddle. 
lieth  with  her  and  committeth  most  stinking  and  abominable 
adultery  before  God,  all  those  kings  and  princes,  yea,  and 
all  nations  of  the  earth,  which  do  consent  to  her  abomi 
nations,  and  use  or  practise  the  same ;  that  is  (of  the  in 
numerable  multitude  of  them  to  rehearse  some  for  example 
sake)  her  dispensations,  her  pardons  and  pilgrimages,  her 
invocation  of  saints,  her  worshipping  of  images,  her  false 
counterfeit  religion  in  her  monkery  and  friarage,  and  her  tra 
ditions,  whereby  God's  laws  are  defiled ;  as  her  massing, 
and  false  ministering  of  God's  word  and  the  sacraments  of 
Christ,  clean  contrary  to  God's  word  and  the  Apostles'  doc 
trine,  whereof  in  particularity  I  have  touched  something  be 
fore  in  my  talk  had  with  the  see  of  London,  and  in  other 
treatises  more  at  large :  wherein  (if  it  shall  please  God  to 
bring  the  same  to  light,)  it  shall  appear  I  trust  by  God's 
grace  plainly  to  the  man  of  God,  and  to  him  whose  rule 
in  judgment  of  religion  is  God's  word,  that  that  religion, 
that  rule  and  order,  that  doctrine  and  faith,  which  this  whore 


416  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

Apoc.  xvii.  of  Babylon  and  the  beast  whereupon  she  doth  sit  main- 
taineth  at  this  day  with  all  violence  of  fire  and  sword,  with 

Daniel  vii.  spoil  and  banishment  (according  to  Daniel's  prophecy),  and 
finally  with  all  falsehood,  deceit,  hypocrisy,  and  all  kind  of 
ungodliness — are  as  clean  contrary  to  God's  word  as  dark 
ness  is  unto  light,  or  light  to  darkness,  white  to  black,  or 
black  to  white,  or  as  Belial  unto  Christ,  or  Christ  unto 
antichrist  himself. 

I  know,  my  lords,  and  foresaw  when  I  wrote  this,  that 
so  many  of  you  as  should  see  this  my  writing,  not  being  before 
endued  with  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  the  light  of  God's  word, 
so  many  (I  say)  would  at  these  my  words  lordlike  stamp  and 
spurn,  and  spit  thereat.  But  sober  yourselves  with  patience, 
and  be  still ;  and  know  ye  that  in  my  writing  of  this,  my  mind 
was  none  other  but  in  God  (as  the  living  God  doth  bear  me 
witness,)  both  to  do  you  profit  and  pleasure.  And  otherwise, 
as  for  your  displeasure,  by  that  time  this  shall  come  to  your 
knowledge,  I  trust  by  God's  grace  to  be  in  the  hands  and 
protection  of  the  Almighty,  my  heavenly  Father  and  the  living 
Lord,  which  is  (as  St  John  saith)  the  greatest  of  all ;  and  then 
I  shall  not  need  (I  trow)  to  fear  what  any  lord,  no  nor  what 
king  or  prince,  can  do  unto  me. 

My  lords,  if  in  times  past  ye  have  been  contented  to 
hear  rne  sometimes  in  matters  of  religion  before  the  prince  in 
the  pulpit,  and  in  the  parliament  house,  and  have  not  seemed 
to  have  despised  what  I  have  said ;  when  as  else,  if  ye  had 
perceived  just  occasion,  ye  might  then  have  suspected  in  my 
talk,  though  it  had  been  reasonable,  either  desire  of  worldly 
gain  or  fear  of  displeasure:  how  hath  then  your  lordships 
more  cause  to  hearken  to  my  word,  and  to  hear  me  patiently, 
seeing  now  ye  cannot  justly  think  of  me  (being  in  this  case, 
appointed  to  die,  and  looking  daily  when  I  shall  be  called  to 
come  before  the  eternal  Judge,)  otherwise  but  that  I  only- 
study  to  serve  my  Lord  God,  and  to  say  that  thing  which 
I  am  persuaded  assuredly  by  God's  word  shall  and  doth  please 
him,  and  profit  all  them  to  whom  God  shall  give  grace  to  hear 
and  believe  what  I  do  say !  And  I  do  say  even  that  I  have 
said  heretofore,  both  of  the  see  of  Eome,  and  of  the  bishop 
thereof— I  mean  after  this  their  present  state  at  this  day. 
Wherein  if  ye  will  not  believe  the  ministers  of  God,  and  true 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

preachers  of  his  word,  verily  I  denounce  unto  you  in  verbo 
Domini,  Except  ye  do  repent  betime,  it  shall  turn  to  your 
confusion  and  to  your  smart  on  the  latter  day.  Forget  not 
what  I  say,  my  lords,  for  Clod's  sake  forget  not,  "  but  re-  Psalm  ir- 
member  it  upon  your  bed."  For  I  tell  you  moreover,  as  I 
know  I  must  be  countable  of  this  my  talk,  and  of  my  speak 
ing  thus,  to  the  eternal  Judge,  who  will  judge  nothing  amiss, 
so  shall  you  be  countable  of  your  duty  in  hearing ;  and  you 
shall  be  charged,  if  ye  will  hearken  to  God's  word,  for  not 
obeying  to  the  truth. 

Alas,  my  lords,  how  chanceth  this,  that  this  matter  is 
now  anew  again  to  be  persuaded  unto  you  ?  Who  would  have 
thought  of  late,  but  your  lordships  had  been  persuaded  indeed 
sufficiently,  or  else  that  ye  could  ever  have  agreed  so  uni 
formly  with  one  consent  to  the  abolishment  of  the  usurpation 
of  the  bishop  of  Kome?  If  that  matter  were  then  but  a 
matter  of  policy,  wherein  the  prince  must  be  obeyed,  how  is 
it  now  made  a  matter  wherein  (as  your  clergy  saith  now,  and 
so  say  the  pope's  laws  indeed)  standeth  the  unity  of  the 
catholic  church,  and  a  matter  of  necessity  of  our  salvation? 
Hath  the  time,  being  so  short  since  the  death  of  the  two 
last  kings,  Henry  VIII.  and  Edward  his  son,  altered  the 
nature  of  the  matter?  If  it  have  not,  but  was  of  the  same 
nature  and  danger  before  God  then  as  it  is  now,  and  be  now 
(as  it  is  said  by  the  pope's  laws,  and  the  instructions  set  forth 
in  English  to  the  curates  of  the  diocese  of  York,)  indeed  a 
matter  of  necessity  to  salvation,  how  then  chanced  it  that 
ye  were  all,  0  my  lords,  so  light  and  so  little  passed  upon0  Concerned 
the  catholic  faith  and  the  unity  thereof  (without  the  which 
no  man  can  be  saved),  as  for  your  princes'  pleasures,  which 
were  but  mortal  men,  to  forsake  the  unity  of  your  catholic 
faith,  that  is,  to  forsake  Christ  and  his  holy  gospel?  And 
furthermore,  if  it  were  both  then  and  now  so  necessary  to 
salvation,  how  chanced  it  also,  that  ye,  all  the  whole  body 
of  the  parliament  agreeing  with  you,  did  not  only  abolish  and 
.expel  the  bishop  of  Koine,  but  also  did  abjure  him  in  your 
own  persons,  and  did  decree  in  your  acts  great  oaths  to  be 
taken  of  both  the  spiritualty  and  temporalty,  whosoever 
should  enter  into  any  weighty  and  chargeable  ofBee  in  the 
commonwealth?  But  on  the  other  side,  if  that  law  and 

27 
[RIDLEY.] 


418  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

decree,  which  maketh  the  supremacy  of  the  see  and  bishop 
of  Rome  over  the  universal  church  of  Christ  a  thing  of  ne 
cessity  required  unto  salvation,  be  an  anti-christian  law  (as 
it  is  indeed),  and  such  instructions  as  are  given  to  the 
diocese  of  York  be  indeed  a  setting  forth  of  the  power  of 
that  beast  of  Babylon  by  the  craft  and  falsehood  of  his 
false  prophets  (as  of  truth,  compared  unto  God's  word,  and 
truly  judged  by  the  same,  it  shall  plainly  appear  that  they 
be),  then,  my  lords,  never  think  other  but  the  day  shall 
come,  when  ye  shall  be  charged  with  this  your  undoing  of 
that  that  once  ye  had  well  done,  and  with  this  your  perjury 
Jer.iv.  and  breach  of  your  oath,  which  oath  was  done  in  "judgment, 
justice,  and  truth,  agreeable  to  God's  law/' 

The  whore  of  Babylon  may  well  for  a  time  dally  with 
you,  and  make  you  so  drunk  with  the  wine  of  her  filthy 
stews  and  whoredom  (as  with  her  dispensations  and  promises 
of  pardon  a  pcena,  et  culpa),  that  for  drunkenness  and  blind 
ness  ye  may  think  yourselves  safe.  But  be  ye  assured,  when 
the  living  Lord  shall  try  the  matter  by  the  fire,  and  judge 
it  according  to  his  word,  when  all  her  abominations  shall 
appear  what  they  be,  then  ye,  my  lords,  (I  give  your  lord 
ships  warning  in  time,  repent  if  ye  be  happy,  and  love  your 
own  soul's  health,  repent,  I  say,  or  else  without  all  doubt 
ye  shall  never  escape  the  hands  of  the  living  Lord  for  the 
guilt  of  your  perjury  and  the  breach  of  your  oath ;)  as  ye 
have  banqueted  and  lain  by  the  whore  in  the  fornication  of 
her  whorish  dispensations,  pardons,  idolatry,  and  such  like 
abominations ;  so  shall  ye  drink  with  her  (except  ye  repent 
betime)  of  the  cup  of  the  Lord's  indignation  and  everlasting 
wrath,  which  is  prepared  for  the  beast,  his  false  prophets, 
and  all  their  partakers.  For  he  that  is  partner  with  them 
in  their  whoredom  and  abominations,  must  also  be  partner 
with  them  of  their  plagues,  and  on  the  latter  day  shall  be 
thrown  with  them  into  the  lake  burning  with  brimstone  and 
unquenchable  fire.  Thus  fare  ye  well,  my  lords  all.  I  pray 
God  give  you  understanding  of  his  blessed  will  and  pleasure, 
and  make  you  to  believe  and  embrace  the  truth.  Amen. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


419 


LETTER  XXXIII.     (COVERDALE.) 

Another  Farewell,  to  the  Prisoners  in  Christ s  Gospel's  cause, 
and  to  all  them  which  for  the  same  cause  are  exiled  and 
lanislwd  out  from  their  own  country,  choosing  rather  to 
leave  all  worldly  commodity,  than  their  master  Christ. 

FAREWELL,  my  dearly  beloved  brethren  in  Christ;  both 
ye  my  fellow-prisoners,  and  ye  also  that  be  exiled  and  banished 
out  of  your  countries,  because  ye  will  rather  forsake  all  worldly 
commodity  than  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

Farewell,  all  ye  together  in  Christ,  farewell  and  be  merry, 
for  ye  know  that  the  trial  of  your  faith  bringeth  forth  pa 
tience,  and  patience  shall  make  us  perfect,  whole  and  sound 
on  every  side;  and  such  after  trial,  ye  know,  shall  receive 
the  crown  of  life,  according  to  the  promise  of  the  Lord  made 
to  his  dearly  beloved :  let  us  therefore  be  patient  unto  the 
coming  of  the  Lord.  As  the  husbandman  abideth  patiently James  v- 
the  former  and  latter  rain  for  the  increase  of  his  crop,  so 
let  us  be  patient  and  pluck  up  our  hearts,  for  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  approacheth  apace.  Let  us,  my  dear  brethren, 
take  example  of  patience  in  tribulation  of  the  prophets, 
which  spake  likewise  God's  word  truly  in  his  name.  Let 
Job  be  to  us  an  example  of  patience,  and  the  end  which 
the  Lord  suffered,  which  is  full  of  mercy  and  pity.  We  !  Pet- j- 
know,  my  brethren,  by  God's  word,  that  our  faith  is  much 
more  precious  than  any  corruptible  gold,  and  yet  that  is 
tried  by  the  fire :  even  so  our  faith  is  therefore  tried  like 
wise  in  tribulations,  that  it  may  be  found,  when  the  Lord 
shall  appear,  laudable,  glorious  and  honourable.  "For  if1Pet-ii' 
we  for  Christ's  cause  do  suffer,  that  is  grateful  before  God; 
for  thereunto  are  we  called,  that  is  our  state  and  vocation, 
wherewith  let  us  be  content."  Christ,  we  know,  suffered  for 
us  afflictions,  leaving  us  an  example  that  we  should  follow 
his  footsteps:  for  he  committed  no  sin,  nor  was  there  any 
guile  found  in  his  mouth;  when  he  was  railed  upon,  and 
also  reviled,  he  railed  not  again ;  when  he  was  evil  entreated, 
he  did  not  threaten,  but  committed  the  punishment  thereof 
to  him  that  judgeth  aright. 

Let  us  ever  have  in  fresh  remembrance  those  wonderful 
comfortable  sentences  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  our  Saviour 

27 — 2 


420  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

Matt.  v.  Christ :  "  Blessed  are  they  which  suffer  persecution  for  right 
eousness1  sake,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  blessed 
are  ye  when  men  revile  you,  persecute  you,  and  speak  all 
evil  against  you  for  my  sake;  rejoice  and  be  glad,  for  great 
is  your  reward  in  heaven,  for  so  did  they  persecute  the  pro 
phets  which  were  before  you."  Therefore  let  us  alway  bear 
this  in  our  minds,  that  if  any  incommodity  do  chance  unto 
us  for  righteousness1  sake,  happy  are  we,  whatsoever  the  world 
doth  think  of  us.  Christ  our  master  hath  told  us  before- 

Lukexxi.  hand,  "that  the  brother  should  put  the  brother  to  death, 
and  the  father  the  son,  and  the  children  should  rise  against 
their  parents  and  kill  them,  and  that  Christ's  true  Apostles 
should  be  hated  of  all  men  for  his  name's  sake ;  but  he 
that  shall  abide  patiently  unto  the  end  shall  be  saved." 
Let  us  then  endure  in  all  troubles  patiently,  after  the  ex 
ample  of  our  master  Christ,  and  be  contented  therewith; 
for  he  suffered  being  our  Master  and  Lord,  how  doth  it  not 

Lukevi.  then  become  us  to  suffer?  "For  the  disciple  is  not  above 
his  master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  lord."  It  may  suffice 
the  disciple  to  be  as  his  master,  and  the  servant  to  be  as 

Matt.x.  his  ior(}.  "If  they  have  called  the  father  of  the  family, 
the  master  of  the  household,  Beelzebub,  how  much  more 
shall  they  call  so  them  of  his  household?  Fear  them 
not  then,"  saith  our  Saviour,  "for  all  privities  shall  be  made 
plain:  there  is  now  nothing  secret,  but  it  shall  be  shewed 
in  light." 

Of  Christ's  words  let  us  neither  be  ashamed  nor  afraid 
to  speak  them ;  for  so  Christ  our  master  commandeth  us, 
saying,  "  That  I  tell  you  privily,  speak  openly  abroad,  and 
that  I  tell  you  in  your  ear,  preach  it  upon  the  house  top. 
And  fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  for  the  soul  they 
cannot  kill :  but  fear  him  which  can  cast  both  body  and 
soul  into  hell-fire."  Know  ye  that  the  heavenly  Father 
hath  ever  a  gracious  eye  and  respect  towards  you,  and  a 
fatherly  providence  for  you,  so  that  without  his  knowledge 
and  permission  nothing  can  do  you  harm.  Let  us  there 
fore  cast  all  our  care  upon  him,  and  he  shall  provide  that 

Matt.  \.  which  shall  be  best  for  us.  "  For  if  of  two  small  sparrows, 
which  both  are  sold  for  a  mite,  one  of  them  lighteth  not 
on  the  ground  without  your  Father,  and  all  the  hairs  of  our 


LETTERS    OP    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  421 

head  are  numbered,  fear  not  then,"  saith  our  master  Christ, 
"for  ye  are  more  worth  than  many  small  sparrows.'1  And 
let  us  not  stick  to  confess  our  master  Christ  for  fear  of 
danger,  whatsoever  it  shall  be;  remembering  the  promise 
that  Christ  maketh,  saying,  "  Whosoever  shall  confess  me 
before  men,  him  shall  1  confess  before  my  Father  which  is 
in  heaven :  but  whosoever  shall  deny  me,  him  shall  I  like 
wise  deny  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."11 

Christ  came  not  to  give  unto  us  here  a  carnal  amity 
and  a  worldly  peace,  or  to  knit  his  unto  the  world  in  ease 
and  peace,  but  rather  to  separate  and  divide  them  from  the 
world,  and  to  join  them  unto  himself;  in  whose  cause  we 
must,  if  we  will  be  his,  forsake  father  and  mother,  and  stick 
unto  him.  If  we  forsake  him  or  shrink  from  him  for  trouble 
or  death's  sake,  which  he  calleth  his  cross,  he  will  none  of 
us,  we  cannot  be  his.  If  for  his  cause  we  shall  lose  our 
temporal  lives  here,  we  shall  find  them  again  and  enjoy 
them  for  evermore ;  but  if  in  his  cause  we  will  not  be  con 
tented  to  leave  nor  lose  them  here,  then  shall  we  lose  them 
so  that  we  shall  never  find  them  again,  but  in  everlasting 
death. 

What  though  our  troubles  here  be  painful  for  the  time, 
and  the  sting  of  death  bitter  and  unpleasant?  yet  we  know 
that  they  shall  not  last  in  comparison  of  eternity,  no  not 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye ;  and  that  they,  patiently  taken  in 
Christ's  cause,  shall  procure  and  get  us  unmeasurable  heaps 
of  heavenly  glory,  unto  the  which  these  temporal  pains  of2Cor'iv- 
death  and  troubles  compared,  are  not  to  be  esteemed,  but 
to  be  rejoiced  upon.  "  Wonder  not,"  saith  St  Peter,  4i  as  l  rct- iv- 
though  it  were  any  strange  matter  that  ye  are  tried  by  the 
fire  (he  meaneth,  of  tribulation),  which  thing,  saith  he,  is 
done  to  prove  you.  Nay  rather,  in  that  ye  are  partners  of 
Christ's  afflictions,  rejoice,  that  in  his  glorious  revelation  ye 
may  rejoice  with  merry  hearts.  If  ye  suffer  rebukes  in  Christ's 
name,  happy  are  ye,  for  the  glory  and  spirit  of  God  resteth 
upon  you.  Of  them  God  is  reviled  and  dishonoured,  but  of 
you  he  is  glorified.  Let  no  man  be  ashamed  of  that  he 
suffereth  as  a  Christian,  and  in  Christ's  cause :  for  now  is 
the  time  that  judgment  and  correction  must  begin  at  the 
house  of  God;  and  if  it  begin  first  at  us,  what  shall  be 


422  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

the  end  of  those,  think  ye,  which  believe  not  the  gospel  ? 
And  if  the  righteous  shall  be  hardly  saved,  the  wicked  and 
the  sinner,  where  shall  he  appear?  Wherefore  they  which 
are  afflicted  according  to  the  will  of  God,  let  them  lay  down 
and  commit  their  souls  to  him  by  well-doing,  as  to  a  trusty 
and  faithful  Maker." 

This  (as  I  said)  may  not  seem  strange  to  us,  for  we 
know  that  all  the  whole  fraternity  of  Christ's  congregation  in 
this  world  is  served  with  the  like,  and  by  the  same  is  made 
perfect.  For  the  fervent  love  that  the  Apostles  had  unto 
their  master  Christ,  and  for  the  great  commodities  and  in 
crease  of  all  godliness  which  they  felt  (by  their  faith)  to 
ensue  of  afflictions  in  Christ's  cause,  and  thirdly,  for  the 
heaps  of  heavenly  joys  which  the  same  do  get  unto  the 
godly,  which  shall  endure  in  heaven  for  evermore,  for  these 
causes  (I  say)  the  Apostles  of  their  afflictions  did  joy,  and 
rejoiced  in  that  they  were  had  and  accounted  worthy  to 
suffer  contumelies  and  rebukes  for  Christ's  name.  And  Paul, 
as  he  gloried  in  the  grace  and  favour  of  God,  whereunto  he 
was  brought  and  stood  in  by  faith;  so  he  rejoiced  in  his 
afflictions  for  the  heavenly  and  spiritual  profits,  which  he  ntim- 
bereth  to  rise  upon  them:  yea,  he  was  so  far  in  love  with 
that  that  the  carnal  man  loathed  so  much,  that  is,  with 
Christ's  cross,  that  he  judged  himself  to  know  nothing  else 

iCor. ii.  but  (Jhrist  crucified;  "he  will  glory  (he  saith),  in  no 
thing  else  but  in  Christ's  cross:"  yea,  and  he  blesseth  all 
those,  as  the  only  true  Israelites  and  elect  people  of  God, 
with  peace  and  mercy,  which  walketh  after  that  rule  and 
after  none  other. 

0  Lord,  what  a  wonderful  spirit  was  that  that  made 
Paul,  in  setting  forth  of  himself  against  the  vanity  of  Sa 
tan's  pseudo-apostles,  and  in  his  claim  there  that  he  in  Christ's 
cause  did  excel  and  pass  them  all, — what  a  wonderful  spirit 

2Cor.xi.  was  that  (I  say)  that  made  him  to  reckon  up  all  his  trou 
bles,  his  labours,  his  beatings,  his  whippings,  his  scourgings, 
his  shipwrecks,  his  dangers  and  perils  by  water  and  by  land, 
his  famine,  hunger,  nakedness,  and  cold,  with  many  more, 
and  the  daily  care  of  all  the  congregations  of  Christ,  among 
whom  every  man's  pain  did  pierce  his  heart,  and  every  man's 
grief  was  grievous  unto  him !  O  Lord,  is  this  Paul's  pri- 


LETTERS    OF     BISHOP    RIDLEY.  423 

macy,  whereof  he  thought  so  much  good  that  he  did  excel 
other?  Is  not  this  Paul's  saying  unto  Timothy,  his  own 
scholar,  and  doth  it  not  pertain  to  whosoever  will  be  Christ's 
true  soldiers  I — "  Bear  thou,  (saith  he)  the  afflictions  like  2  Tim.  n. 
a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  true :  if  we  die 
with  him,  (he  mcaneth  Christ,)  we  shall  live  with  him ;  if 
we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  reign  with  him ;  if  we  deny 
him,  he  shah1  deny  us ;  if  we  be  faithless,  he  reniaineth  faith 
ful,  he  cannot  deny  himself."  This  Paul  would  have  known 
to  every  body;  for  there  is  none  other  way  to  heaven,  but 
Christ  and  his  way,  and  "all  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ,  shall  - Tim- Hi- 
(saith  St  Paul)  suffer  persecution."  By  this  way  went  to 
heaven  the  patriarchs,  the  prophets,  Christ  our  master,  his 
Apostles,  his  martyrs,  and  all  the  godly  since  the  beginning. 

And  as  it  hath  been  of  old,  "that  he  which  was  born  Gai. iv. 
after  the  flesh  persecuted  him  which  was  born  after  the 
spirit,"  for  so  it  was  in  Isaacs  time ;  so,  said  St  Paul,  it- 
was  in  his  time  also.  And  whether  it  be  so  or  no  now,  let 
the  spiritual  man,  the  self-same  man  (I  mean)  that  is  en 
dued  with  the  Spirit  of  Almighty  God,  let  him  be  judge. 
Of  the  cross  of  the  patriarchs,  as  ye  may  read  in  their 
stories  if  ye  read  the  book  of  Genesis,  ye  shall  perceive. 
Of  other,  St  Paul  in  few  words  comprehendeth  much  matter, 
speaking  in  a  generality  of  the  wonderful  afflictions,  deaths, 
and  torments,  which  the  men  of  God  in  God's  cause  and 
for  the  truth's  sake  willingly  and  gladly  did  suffer.  After 
much  particular  rehearsal  of  many,  he  saith,  "  Others  were  Heb.  .\i. 
racked,  and  despised,  and  would  not  be  delivered,  that  they 
might  obtain  a  better  resurrection ;  other  again  were  tried 
with  mockings  and  scourgings,  and  moreover  with  bonds  and 
imprisonment ;  they  were  stoned,  hewn  asunder,  tempted,  fell 
and  were  slain  upon  the  edge  of  the  sword,  some  wandered 
to  and  fro  in  sheeps'  pilchesa,  in  goats'  pilches,  forsaken,  "skins, Lat. 
oppressed,  afflicted,  (such  godly  men  as  the  world  was  un 
worthy  of,)  wandering  in  wildernesses,  in  mountains,  in 
caves  and  in  dens;  and  all  these  were  commended  for  their 
faith."  And  yet  they  abide  for  us  the  servants  of  God,  and 
for  those  their  brethren  which  are  to  be  slain  as  they  were 
for  the  word  of  God's  sake,  that  none  be  shut  out,  but  that 
we  may  all  go  together  to  meet  our  master  Christ  in  the 


424 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 


air  at  his  coming,  and  so  to  be  in  bliss  with  him  in  body 
and  in  soul  for  evermore. 

Therefore,  seeing  we  have  so  much  occasion  to  suffer 
and  to  take  afflictions  for  Christ's  name's  sake  patiently,  so 
many  commodities  thereby,  so  weighty  causes,  so  many  good 
examples,  so  great  necessity,  so  sure  promises  of  eternal  life 
and  heavenly  joys  of  him  that  cannot  lie,  let  us  throw  away 

*  hinder,      whatsoever  might  letb  us,  all  burden  of  sin,  and  all  kind  of 

Heb. xii.  carnality,  and  patiently  and  constantly  let  "us  run  for  the 
best  game  in  this  race  that  is  set  before  us;  ever  having 
our  eyes  upon  Jesus  Christ,  the  ringleader,  captain,  and 
prefecter  of  our  faith ;  which,  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before 

«  regarding,  him,  endured  the  cross,  not  passing  upon c  the  ignominy  and 
shame  thereof,  and  is  set  now  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne 
of  God.  Consider  this,  that  he  suffered  such  strife  of  sinners 
against  himself,  that  ye  should  not  give  over  nor  faint  in 
your  minds.  As  yet,  brethren,  we  have  not  withstood  unto 
death,  fighting  against  sin." 

Heb.  xii.  "  Let  us  never  forget,  dear  brethren,  for  Christ's  sake,  that 

fatherly  exhortation  of  the  wise  that  speaketh  unto  us,  as 
unto  his  children;  the  godly  wisdom  of  God,  saying  thus, 
My  son,  despise  not  the  correction  of  the  Lord,  nor  fall 
not  from  him  when  thou  art  rebuked  of  him;  for  whom  the 
Lord  loveth,  him  doth  he  correct,  and  scourgeth  every  child 
whom  he  receiveth.  What  child  is  he  whom  the  father  doth 
not  chasten?  If  ye  be  free  from  chastisement,  whereof  all 
are  partakers,  then  are  ye  bastards  and  no  children.  Seeing 
then,  whereas  we  have  had  carnal  parents  which  chastened 
us,  we  reverenced  them,  shall  not  we  much  more  be  subject 
unto  our  spiritual  father,  that  we  might  live?  And  they  for 
a  little  time  taught  us  after  their  own  mind ;  but  this  father 
teacheth  us  to  our  commodity,  to  give  unto  us  his  holiness. 
All  chastisement  for  the  present  time  appeareth  not  pleasant, 
but  painful ;  but  afterward  it  rendereth  the  fruit  of  righteous 
ness  on  them  which  are  exercised  in  it.  Wherefore  let  us  be 
of  good  cheer,  good  brethren,  and  let  us  pluck  up  our  feeble 
members  that  were  fallen,  or  began  to  faint,  heart,  hands, 
knees,  and  all  the  rest,  and  let  us  walk  upright  and  straight, 
that  no  limping  or  halting  bring  us  out  of  the  way."  Let  us 
look,  not  upon  the  things  that  be  present,  but  with  the  eyes 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  425 

of  our  faith  let  us  steadfastly  behold  the  things  that  be  ever 
lasting  in  heaven,  and  so  choose  rather,  in  respect  of  that 
which  is  to  come,  with  the  chosen  members  of  Christ  to 
bear  Christ's  cross,  than  for  this  short  lifetime  to  enjoy  all 
the  riches,  honours,  and  pleasures  of  the  broad  world. 

Why  should  we  Christians  fear  death  2  Can  death  deprive 
us  of  Christ,  which  is  all  our  comfort,  our  joy,  and  our  life  I 
Nay,  forsooth.  But  contrary,  death  shall  deliver  us  from 
this  mortal  body,  which  loadeth  and  beareth  down  the  spirit, 
that  it  cannot  so  well  perceive  heavenly  things ;  in  the  2  cor.  v. 
which  so  long  as  we  dwell,  we  are  absent  from  God. 

AVherefore,  understanding  our  state  in  that  we  be  Christ 
ians,  "  that  if  our  mortal  body,  which  is  our  earthly  house,  2  cor.  v. 
were  destroyed,  we  have  a  building,  a  house  not  made  with 
hands,  but  everlasting  in  heaven,  &c.,  therefore  we  are  of  good 
cheer,  and  know  that  when  we  are  in  the  body,  we  are  absent 
from  God;  for  we  walk  by  faith,  and  not  by  clear  sight. 
Nevertheless  we  are  bold,  and  had  rather  be  absent  from 
the  body,  and  present  with  God.  Wherefore  we  strive, 
whether  we  be  present  at  home  or  absent  abroad,  that  we 
may  always  please  him." 

And  who  that  hath  true  faith  in  our  Saviour  Christ, 
whereby  he  knoweth  somewhat  truly  what  Christ  our  Saviour 
is,  that  he  is  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  life,  light,  the  wisdom 
of  the  Father,  all  goodness,  all  righteousness,  and  whatso 
ever  is  good  that  heart  can  desire,  yea,  infinite  plenty  of  all 
these,  above  that  that  man's  heart  can  either  conceive  or 
think,  (for  in  him  dwelleth  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  corpo 
rally,)  and  also  that  he  is  given  us  of  the  Father,  "  and  i  cor.  j. 
made  of  God  to  be  our  wisdom,  our  righteousness,  our  holi 
ness,  and  our  redemption ;" — who  (I  say)  is  he,  that  believeth 
this  indeed,  that  would  not  gladly  be  with  his  master  Christ  I 
Paul  for  this  knowledge  coveted  to  have  been  loosed  from 
the  body,  and  to  have  been  with  Christ,  for  that  he  counted  Phil.  i. 
it  much  better  for  himself,  and  had  rather  to  be  loosed  than 
to  live.  Therefore  these  words  of  Christ  to  the  thief  on  the 
cross,  that  asked  of  him  mercy,  were  full  of  comfort  and 
solace:  "  This  day  thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  paradise."  To 
die  in  the  defence  of  Christ's  Gospel,  it  is  our  bounden  duty 
to  Christ,  and  also  to  our  neighbour.  To  Christ,  -  for  he  Rom.  L\. 


426  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

died  for  us,  and  rose  again,  that  he  might  be  Lord  over  all." 

i  John  iii.  And  seeing  he  died  for  us,  "  we  also  (saith  St  John)  should 
jeopard,  yea  give,  our  life  for  our  brethren.11  And  this  kind 
of  giving  and  losing  is  getting  and  winning  indeed ;  for 
he  that  giveth  or  loseth  his  life  thus,  getteth  and  winneth 

Apoc.  xiv.  it  for  evermore.  u  Blessed  are  they  therefore,  that  die  in  the 
Lord;11  and  if  they  die  in  the  Lord's  causevthey  are  most 
happy  of  all. 

Let  us  not  then  fear  death,  which  can  do  us  no  harm, 
otherwise  than  for  a  moment  to  make  the  flesh  to  smart ; 
for  that  our  faith,  which  is  surely  fastened  and  fixed  unto  the 
word  of  God,  telleth  us  that  we  shall  be  anon  after  death 
in  peace,  in  the  hands  of  God,  in  joy,  in  solace,  and  that 
from  death  we  shall  go  straight  unto  life.  For  St  John  saith, 

John  xi.       «  He  that  liveth  and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never  die.11    And 

John  v.  in  another,  place  "  He  shall  depart  from  death  unto  life.11 
And  therefore  this  death  of  the  Christian  is  not  to  be  called 
death,  but  rather  a  gate  or  entrance  into  everlasting  life. 
Therefore  Paul  calleth  it  but  a  dissolution  and  resolution; 

?£j;J:\:  and  both  Peter  and  Paul,  a  putting  off  of  this  tabernacle 
or  dwell-house,  meaning  thereby  the  mortal  body,  as  where 
in  the  soul  or  spirit  doth  dwell  here  in  this  world  for  a 
small  time.  Yea,  this  death  may  be  called,  to  the  Christian, 

Acts  iv.  an  end  of  all  miseries.  For  so  long  as  we  live  here,  u  we 
must  pass  through  many  tribulations,  before  we  can  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.11  And  now,  after  that  death 
hath  shot  his  bolt,  all  the  Christian  man's  enemies  have 
done  what  they  can,  and  after  that  they  have  no  more  to 

Luke  xvi.  ^Q  What  could  hurt  or  harm  poor  "  Lazarus,  that  lay  at 
the  rich  man's  gate  "2  his  former  penury  and  poverty,  his 
miserable  beggary,  and  horrible  sores  and  sickness?  For 
so  soon  as  death  had  stricken  him  with  his  dart,  so  soon 
came  the  angels,  and  carried  him  straight  up  into  Abraham's 
bosom.  What  lost  he  by  death,  who,  from  misery  and 
pain,  is  set  by  the  ministry  of  angels  in  a  place  both  of 
joy  and  solace? 

Farewell,  dear  brethren,  farewell !  and  let  us  comfort  our 
hearts  in  all  troubles,  and  in  death,  with  the  word  of  God : 
for  heaven  and  earth  shall  perish,  but  the  word  of  the  Lord 
endureth  for  ever. 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  427 

Farewell,  Christ's  dearly  beloved  spouse  here  wandering 
in  this  world,  as  in  a  strange  land,  far  from  thine  own 
country,  and  compassed  about  on  every  hand  with  deadly 
enemies,  which  cease  not  to  assault  thee,  ever  seeking  thy 
destruction  ! 

Farewell,  farewell,  O  ye  the  whole  and  universal  congre 
gation  of  the  chosen  of  God,  here  living  upon  earth,  the  true 
church  militant  of  Christ,  the  true  mystical  body  of  Christ, 
the  very  household  and  family  of  God,  and  the  sacred  temple 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  !  Farewell. 

Farewell,  0  thou  little  flock  of  the  high  heavenly  pastor  L«ke  xii. 
Christ !  for  to  thee  it  hath  pleased  the  heavenly  Father  to 
give  an  everlasting  and  eternal  kingdom.     Farewell. 

Farewell,  thou  spiritual  house  of  God,  thou  holy  and 
royal  priesthood,  thou  chosen  generation,  thou  holy  nation, 
thou  wond  spouse  !  Farewell,  farewell !  "purchased. 

N.  K. 


LETTER  XXXIV.     (COVERDALE.) 
To  the  Queens  Majesty1. 

IT  may  please  your  majesty,  for  Christ  our  Saviour's  sake, 
in  a  matter  of  conscience,  (and  now  not  for  myself,  but  for 
other  poor  men,)  to  vouchsafe  to  hear  and  understand  this 
mine   humble    supplication.      It   is   so,   honourable   princess, 
that  in  the  time  while  I  was  in  the  ministry  of  the  see  of 
London,  divers  poor  men,  tenants  thereof,  have  taken  new 
leases  of  their  tenantries  and  holdings,  and  some  have  re 
newed  and  changed  their  hold,  and  therefore  have  paid  fines 
and  sums  of  money,  both  to  me,  and  also  to  the  chapter  of 
Paul's,  for  the  confirmation  of  the  same.     Now  I  hear  say,  f 
that   the  bishop  which   occupieth  the   same  room  now  will  j 
not  allow  the  aforesaid  leases,  which  must  redound  to  many  "ann 
poor  men's  utter  ruin  and  decay.     Wherefore,  this  is  mine  SJ^h 

men,  which 

[*  On  the  day  previous  to  his  martyrdom,  after  he  had  been  degraded  GoTan^a*0 
by  bishop  Brookes,  Ridley  read  this  letter  to  the  bishop,  and  requested  J™t7i.°M.C. 
him  to  forward  the  petition  contained  in  it.     This  was  refused,  and 
Ridley  then  delivered  it  to  his  brother  to  be  presented  to  the  Queen :  it 
was  dated  for  the  day  following.    ED/] 


428  LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY. 

humble  supplication  unto  your  honourable  grace,  that  it  may 
please  the  same,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  be  unto  the  aforesaid 
poor  men  their  gracious  patron  and  defender,  either  that  they 
may  enjoy  their  aforesaid  leases  and  years  renewed,  (as,  when 
their  matter  shall  be  heard  with  conscience,  I  suppose,  both 
justice,  conscience,  and  equity  shall  require ;  for  that  their 
•  Collusion,  leases  s]iau  be  found,  I  trust,  made  without  fraud  or  coven% 
either  of  their  part  or  of  mine ;  and  also  the  old  rents  always 
reserved  to  the  see,  without  any  kind  of  damage  thereof;)  or 
if  this  will  not  be  granted,  then  that  it  may  please  your  gra 
cious  highness  to  command  that  the  poor  men  may  be  re 
stored  to  their  former  leases  and  years,  and  may  have  ren 
dered  to  them  again  such  sums  of  money,  as  they  paid  to 
me  and  to  the  chapter  for  their  leases  and  years  so  now  taken 
from  them;  which  thing,  concerning  the  fines  paid  to  me, 
may  be  easily  done,  if  it  shall  please  your  majesty  to  com 
mand  some  portion  of  those  goods  which  I  left  in  my  house 
to  be  given  unto  them.  I  suppose  that  half  of  the  value  of 
my  plate  which  I  left  in  mine  offices,  and  especially  in  an 
iron  chest  in  my  bed-chamber,  will  go  nigh  to  restore  all 
such  fines  received ;  the  true  sums  and  parcels  whereof  are 
not  set  in  their  leases ;  and  therefore  (if  that  way  shall  please 
your  highness,)  they  must  be  known  by  such  ways  and  means 
as  your  majesty  by  the  advice  of  men  of  wisdom  and  con 
science  shall  appoint.  But  yet,  for  Christ's  sake,  I  crave  and 
most  humbly  beseech  your  majesty,  of  your  most  gracious 
the°w!dowsr  P^y  and  mercy,  that  the  former  way  may  take  place.  I  have 
k"s  impure  ako  a  P001'  sister,  that  came  to  me  out  of  the  north  with 
medTeil-'  tnree  fatherless  children  for  her  relief,  whom  I  married  after 
lt°james  to  a  servant  of  mine  own  house :  she  is  put  out  of  that  which 
I  did  provide  for  them.  I  beseech  your  honourable  grace, 
that  her  case  may  be  mercifully  considered :  and  that  the 
Sbiewhfci  rather,  in  contemplation  that  I  never  had  of  him  which 
suffered  induranceb  at  my  entrance  to  the  see  of  London, 
one  penny  of  his  moveable  goods,  for  it  was  almost  half-a- 
year  after  his  deposition,  afore  I  did  enter  in  that  place; 
yea,  and  also  if  any  were  left  known  to  be  his,  he  had  licence 
to  carry  it  away,  or  there  for  his  use  it  did  lie  safe ;  and 
his  officers  do  know,  that  I  paid  for  the  lead  which  I  found 
there  when  I  occupied  any  of  it  to  the  behoof  of  the  church 


LETTERS    OF    BISHOP    RIDLEY.  429 

or  of  the  house.  And  moreover,  I  had  not  only  no  part 
his  movcable  goods,  but  also  (as  his  old  receiver,  and  then 
mine,  called  Master  Staunton,  can  testify,)  I  paid  for  him, 
towards  his  servants1  common  liveries  and  wages,  after  his 
deposition,  fifty-three  li.  or  fifty-five  pounds,  I  cannot  tell 
whether.  In  all  these  matters,  I  beseech  your  honourable 
majesty  to  hear  the  advice  of  men  of  conscience,  and  espe- 
cially  the  archbishop  now  of  York1;  which,  for  that  he  was 
continually  in  my  house  a  year  and  more  before  mine  im 
prisonment,  I  suppose  he  is  not  altogether  ignorant  of  some 
part  of  these  things ;  and  also  his  grace  doth  know  my  sister, 
for  whose  succour  and  some  relief  now  unto  your  highness 
I  make  most  humble  suit. 

The  16th  day  of  October,  1555. 

N.  11. 
C  Dr  Heath.     ED.] 


APPENDICES 


I.  DISPUTATIO  HABITA  OXONII.     1555. 

II.  ARTICLES  JOINTLY  AND  SEVERALLY  MINISTERED  TO  DR  RIDLEY 

AND  MR  LATIMER  BY  THE  POPE'S  DEPUTY. 

III.  LETTER   OF   DR  TURNER,  DEAN  OF  WELLS,   TO  Fox,   TOUCHING 

CHIEFLY    HIS   KNOWLEDGE   OF   RlDLEY. 

IV.  LETTER  FROM  STEPHEN  GARDINER,  BISHOP  OF  WINCHESTER,  TO 

RIDLEY. 

V.  LETTER  FROM  EDWARD,   DUKE  OF  SOJIERSET,  THE   PROTECTOR, 

TO  RIDLEY. 

VI.      LETTER  FROM  EDWARD  VI.  TO  RIDLEY. 


APPENDIX  1. 


DISPUTATIO   HABITA  OXONII,  1554. 

Reprinted  from  Fox,  " Rerum  in  Fcclesia  Gestarum,"  Basil,  1559,  and 
collated  with  a  MS.  in  the  collection  of  Archbishop  Parker  in  the 
Library  of  Corpus  Christi  College,  Cambridge. 


QThe  Corpus  MS.  is  a  very  imperfect  sketch  of  the  proceedings. 
It  appears  to  have  been  taken  from  the  first  notes  which  Ridley  made 
after  the  discussion,  before  he  had  time  to  arrange  them  at  full  length. 
ED.] 


lPrcefatio  N.  Ridlcei  Episcopi  Londinensis,  in  suam  dispu- 

tationem. 

NUNQUAM  mihi  contigit  in  universa  vita  mea  videre  aut 
audire  quicquam  vanius  aut  tumultuosius  geri,  quam  hsec 
quae  nuper  mecum  habita  est  disputatio  in  scholis  Oxonien- 
sibus.  Et  profecto  non  arbitrabar  inter  nostrates  potuisse 
reperiri  alicujus  literature  aliquos,  gradu  insigniori  donates, 
qui  tarn  perfrictse  frontis  essent,  ut  ejusmodi  scenicis  vani- 
tatibus  (quibus  ea  disputatio  abundabat)  indulgere  sequo 
animo  sustinuissent.  Sorbonici  clamores,  quos  olim  vidi  Pa- 
risiis,  ubi  Papismus  maxime  regnat,  pree  nostra  hac  thra- 
sonica  ostentatione  speciem  aliquam  habere  modestise  merito 
videri  possunt2. 

Nee  minim  erat;  quoniam  qui  aliorum  moderatores  ibi 
esse  debuerunt,  quique3  aliis  sese  formam  in  agendo  prgebu- 
issent,  in  verbo,  in  gravitate,  &c.  ut  Paulus  loquitur,  ipsi  sane 
omnium  effusissime4  aliis  in5  tumultuandum  ad  clamandum 

1  These  words  are  omitted  at  the  top  of  the  MS.,  which,  however, 
has  the  signature  "  D.  Ridleye,  Eps.  Lond." 
a  Parker  MS.— possint, 

3  Parker  MS. — quique  aliis  esse  sese  formam  praebuissent  in  agendo. 
QThere  appears  to  be  a  mark  through  the  esse,  probably  meant  for  an 
erasure.] 

4  Parker  MS. — perfusissime. 

5  Parker  MS.— ad. 

28 
[RIDLEY.] 


434  APPENDIX    I. 

classicum  cecinerunt.  Uncle  manifestum  est,  Christiane  lector, 
quod  haudquaquam  ab  istis  sincera  aliqua  veritas,  sed  prorsus 
vana  mundi  gloria  et  thrasonica  victoria  quserebatur.  Csete- 
rum  ne  ad  innumera  convicia,  quibus  ego  inter  disputandum 
totus  conspuebar,  causa  nostra,  quse  Dei  est  et  ecclesise  ip- 
sius,  mendosis  etiam  disputationis  habitse  exemplaribus  mundo 
traducatur,  atque  inde  damnum  aliquod  ipsa  veritas  sustinere 
possit*;  visum  est  mihi  meam  literis  commendare  responsio- 
nem;  ut  quisquis  ejus  cognoscendse  cupidus  est,  simul  et 
veritatis  studiosus,  scire  ex  his  posset  et  quse  mihi  maxime 
objecta  fuerint1,  et  in  summa  quid2  a  me  singulis  sit  re- 
sponsum.  Quanquam  sed  tibi,  amice  lector,  verissimum  esse 
fateor,  omnia  omnium  mihi,  a  tarn  multis  et  tarn  tumultuose 
objecta,  et  a  me  vicissim  tot  interdum  simul  opponentibus 
tarn  celeriter  responsa  ponere,  esse  omnino  impossibile. 

Ad  hsec  bona  pars  temporis  in  contumeliosissimis  op- 
probriis,  et  plus  quam  theatricis  exsibilationibus,  applausio- 
nibus  et  triumphis  ad  captandum  auram  popularem  popular! 
sermone  inaniter  consumpta  est.  Quam  rem  cum  ego  seger- 
rime  ferrem,  ac  publice  deplorarem  testarerque  coetum  ilium3 
eruditorum  virorum  ac  scholas  (quse  theologorum  gravitati 
destinatse  esse4  dicuntur)  ejusmodi  ineptiis  et  scenicis  vanita- 
tibus  contaminari  atque  pollui,  et  actores  suse  causse  vanita- 
tem5  per  hsec  ipsa  palam  prodere;  dicendo  nihil  profeci,  sed 
obloquentium  exsibilationibus  et  vociferationibus,  partim  vero 
prsesidentium  auctoritate  coactus  sum  ejus  generis  in  me 
jactata  audire  convicia,  qualia  profecto  viri  graves  non  sus- 
tinuissent  citra  ruborem  audire  conjecta  a  turpissimo  nebulone 
in  vilissimum  ganeonem. 

In  initio  disputationis,  cum  meam  responsionem  ad  pri- 
mam  propositionem6  voluissem  paucis,  idque  dialecticorum 
more,  confirmare  ;  priusquam  primam  probationem,  quse  non 

1  Parker  MS.—  fuerant. 
a  Parker  MS.—  quod. 

3  Parker  MS.—  illorum. 

4  In  the  MS.  this  is  confused.    We  have  cssent  for  esse,  and  a  comma 
after  it  ;  then,  dicantur  ejusmodi,  &c. 


5  Parker  MS.—  it  stands  thus,   ™^  [the  alteration  standing 
above  the  original.] 

6  Parker  MS.  —  argumentationem. 


APPENDIX    I.  435 

aclmoclum  prolixa  est,  potuissem  absolvere,  exclamant  ipsi  D.7 
doctores :  Loquitur  blasphemias,  blasphemias,  blasphemias. 
Quumque  ego  supplex  atque  obnixe  precarer,  uti  perorantem 
audire  dignarentur:  qua  mea  supplicatione  commotus  (ut 
videbatur)  D.  prolocutor8  inclamat  ex  alto,  Legat,  legat: 
ct9  ego  quum  rursus  pergerem  legere,  tantus  continue  obortus 
est  clamor,  Blasphemias,  blasphemias,  ut  nullum  me  imquam 
meminerim  audisse  aut  legisse  similem,  prseter  ilium10  in  Actis 
Apostolorum  excitatum11  a  Demetrio  fabro  argentario  cum  suis 
qui  erant  ejusdem  artis,  clamantibus12  in  Paulum,  Magna 
Diana  Ephesiorum,  Magna  Diana  Ephesiorum ;  et  prseter 
disputationem  quondam  quam  Ariani  habebant  contra  ortho- 
doxos  in  Africa13,  ubi  dicitur,  Quales  presides,  talis  erat 
et  disputationis  finis.  Omnia  erant  plena  tumultu  et  Aria- 
norum  calumniis,  ut  nihil  quiete  audiri  potuisset.  Hsec  Victor 
in  libro  secundo  suse  historic. 

Atque  ita  invaluerunt  istorum  clamores  et  tumultuationes, 
ut  ego,  velim  nolim,  cogerer  probationes  meas,  alioqui  satis 
breves,  inchoatas  dimittere. 

Testes  habeo  hujus  veritatis  omnes  cordatiores  qui  inter- 
erant.  Sed  de  his  plura  conqueri  desinam ;  et  nunc  mihi 
curse  erit,  argumenta  mihi  proposita,  et  meas  vicissim  ad 
argumenta  illorum  responsiones.  quanta  mea  memoria  dili- 
gentiori  singularum  circumstantiarum  recordatione  suggerere 
potuerit,  summatim  annotare. 

"Disputatio   JiaUta    Oxonicv    inter   D.    Nicolaum   episcopum 
Londinensem,    et    doctorem    Smithum,    cwterosque    doctores 


<      Vuestonus: — Viri  Christi  fideles,  coepta  est  hodie  schola 
summi   Dei,  ut  spero,  auspicio.     Ccepta   controversia  de  se* 

7  Parker  MS.— the  D.  is  omitted. 

8  Parker  MS.— proloquutor,  [as  it  is  likewise  occasionally  spelt  in 
the  printed  copy.] 

9  Parker  MS. — et  ego  cum  rursus  legerem. 

10  Parker  MS.— qui. 

11  Parker  MS.— excitatus  est. 

12  Parker  MS.— conclamantibus. 

13  Parker  MS.— Carthagine. 

14  All  that  follows  is  wanting  in  the  MS.  till  the  title  of  the  Dis- 
pHitation— "  Disputatio  habita,"  &c.,  p.  451. 

28—2 


4o6  APPENDIX     I. 

controversia  plane  libera,  de  veritate  scilicet  corporis  Domini 
nostri  Jesu  Christ!  in  eucharistia.  Christus  verus  est,  qui 
dixit :  vera  sunt  quse  dixit,  imo  veritas  ipsa  quse  dixit. 
Orandus  est  ergo  Deus  nobis,  ut  demittat  Spiritum,  qui  sit 
ejus  verbi  certus  interpres,  qui  abstrahat  errores,  qui  doceat 
ut  veritas  elucescat.  Oranda  est  Ecclesise  venia,  ut  illius 
receptam  veritatem  absque  illius  prsejudicio  sinat  hodie  in 
quaestionem  vocari.  Vestrae  autem  partes  erunt,  Divini  Nu- 
minis  opem  implorare;  deinde  reginse  bona  omnia  precari, 
nobis  pacatas  et  tranquillas  prsebere  aures. 

Propositce  qucestiones. 

jSmithm: — Hodierno  die,  vir  eruditissime,  vocata  sunt 
tria  in  qusestionem,  minime  certe  inter  Christianos  contro- 
vertenda. 

1.  Nimirum,   an    Christi    servatoris   nostri   corpus,   con- 
ceptum  ex  Maria  Virgine,  oblatum  in  cruce  pro  redemptione 
hominum,  sit  reipsa  aut  realiter  in  eucharistia. 

2.  Secundum,    an    post    consecrationem    ulla    remaneat 
substantia,  prseter  substantiam   Domini   nostri   Jesu   Christi, 
Dei  et  hominis. 

3.  Tertium,    an    in    missa   sit    vivificum    sacrificium    et 
oblatio,  turn  pro  vivis  quam  pro  defunctis,  propitiabile. 

Nunc,  doctissime  doctor,  tametsi  tu  die  Sabbathi,  quid 
indicaveris  et  senseris  de  his  qusestionibus,  aperte  et  publice 
pronunciasti,  tamen  non  contentus  responsione  tua,  quam 
negative  protulisti,  non  gravabor  rursus  aperte  rogare  sen- 
tentiam  tuam  in  prima  qusestione :  An  verum  Christi  corpus 
post  pronunciationem  verborum  Christi  a  sacerdote  sit  realiter 
in  eucharistia,  an  tantum  sit  ibi  secundum  figuram  I  Expecto 
quid  respondeas. 

PR^EFATIO  ET  PROTESTATIO  NICOLAI  RIDL^EI  EPISCOPI  LON- 
DINENSIS  habita  17  Aprilis  in  publicis  scholis  Oxonice. 

Accepi  a  vobis,  ornatissime  vir  et  domine  Prolocutor,  et 
vos  viri  venerabiles,  domini  Commissarii  celsitudinis  Keginse 
et  aliorum,  superiore  die  tres  propositiones,  quibus  jussistis  me, 
ut  in  hanc  diem  pararem,  quid  illis  respondendum  censerem. 
Ego  vero  cum  mecum  considerarem,  quanta  cura  gregis  Do- 
minici  nuper  mihi  commissa  esset,  pro  cujus  administratione 


APPENDIX 


437 


olim  (idque  quain  cito,  Deus  novit)  rationem  Domino  ineo 
sum  redditurus;  quodque  Petri  Apostoli  prsecepto  paratus 
semper  esse  debeam  ad  respondendum  cuilibet,  ut  loquar 
de  ea  quae  in  nobis  est  spe  cum  animi  mansuetudine  et 
reverentia;  ad  hoc  quid  debeam  ecclesise  Christi,  quidque 
vobis,  qui  estis  hie  commissarii  cum  auctoritate  publica ; 
statui  mandatis  vestris  hac  in  parte  obtemperare,  et  palani 
vobis  patefacere,  quid  de  propositis  propositionibus  sentiam. 
Et  quanquam  (ut  ingenue  vobis  quod  verum  est  fatear)  aliter 
olim  atque  nunc  de  illis  rebus,  de  quibus  me  interrogatis, 
sensi ;  nihilominus  Deum  testem  invoco  in  animam  meam, 
non  mentior,  quod  ut  mutarem  animam,  quodque  in  hanc  in 
qua  nunc  sum  devenirem  sententiam,  nullus  me,  ut  id  facerem, 
coegit  aut  legum  humanarum  aut  periculorum  hujus  mundi 
metus,  aut  ulla  spes  vel  expectatio  mundanse  commoditatis ; 
sed  amor  duntaxat  veritatis,  revelatse  mihi  per  Dei  gratiam 
(ut  mihi  persuasum  habeo)  in  verbo  Dei  et  in  antiquorum 
patrum  orthodoxorum  lectione. 

Hsec  ego  nunc  propterea  magis  commemoro,  quoniam. 
quis  scit,  si  quod  mihi  olim  contigit,  alicui  vestrum  in  pos- 
terum  contingere  poterit?  hoc  est,  ut  si  quid  aliter  atque 
ego  nunc  de  rebus  propositis  sentiatis,  et  hoc  vobis  Deus 
aliquando  sit  revelaturus.  Sed  utcunque  fuerit,  quod  vos 
omnes  nunc  me  facere  velitis  opinor,  hoc  ego  jam  breviter 
sum  facturus:  hoc  est,  sententiam  animi  mei,  quam  pla- 
nissime  potero,  explicabo.  In  qua  tamen  sententia  dicenda, 
id  vobis  testatum  esse  velim,  me  ex  aniino  nihil  esse  dictu- 
rum  scienter  et  prudenter,  quod  ulla  in  re  crediderim  posse 
vel  tantillum  repugnare  aut  dissentire  a  verbo  Dei,  aut  a 
regulis  fidei  et  Christianse  religionis,  quas  illud  sacrosanctum 
Dei  verbum  ecclesise  Christi  prsescribit,  quibus  me  meaque 
omnia  volo  nunc  et  in  perpetuum  esse  vel  fore  obnoxia. 

Et  quoniam  gravis  causa  est  quam  agimus,  et  ad  earn 
peragendam  quam  simus  nunc  inexpediti,  temporis  nimirum 
angustia  et  librorum  inopia  oppressi,  vobis  omnibus  ignotum 
esse  non  potest :  propterea  protestor  me  hoc  a  vobis  hodi- 
erno  die  publice  postulaturum,  nimirum  ut  in  posterum  liceat 
omnibus  meis  hodiernis  responsionibus,  explicationibus,  et 
confirmationibus  addere  vel  demere,  quicquid  in  posterum 
saniore  judicio,  maturiore  consultatione,  aut  exactiore  sin- 


438  APPENDIX    I. 

gularum  rerum  expensione,  magis  commodum  magisque 
opportunum  esse  videbitur.  Aliquid  etiam  adferunt  carceres 
molestise,  quse  mentem  meam  nonnihil  conturbarunt  ;  neque 
enim  is  sum,  ut  liber  sim  ab  omnibus  hujusmodi  affectibus. 

Vuestonus:  —  Reverende  doctor,  quod  ad  penuriam  libro- 
rum  spectat,  non  est  quod  causeris;  libri  tibi  exhibebuntur 
quoscunque  postulaveris.  Quod  ad  maturius  judicium  attinet, 
liberum  erit  usque  in  diem  Dominicum  addere  responsionibus 
tuis,  quod  magis  opportunum  videbitur  :  nolo  ut  concisis  uta- 
mur  argumentis,  ne  videamur  nectere  arenas. 

Ridlceus:  —  Est  aliud,  quod  impretatum  velim.  Video  hie 
scribas  et  notarios  adhiberi  :  verisimile  est,  quod  palam  profe- 
rentur  quse  dicemus  :  obsecro  ut  sit  facultas  loquendi  libere  ;  non 
quod  constituerim  tempus  eximere  dicendo,  sed  ne  cui  vide- 
atur  non  satis  fieri  :  non  sum  orator,  nee  didici  rhetoricam. 

Vuestonus  :  —  Licebit  tibi  eligere  duos  notarios  ex  hac  tota 
multitudine. 

Ridlceus  :  —  Si  essent  hie  mihi  noti  aliqui,  eligerem. 

Vuestonus:  —  Sunt  hie  duo,  quos  dominus  Cranmerus  heri 
elegit  :  ipsos,  si  placet,  eligito. 

Ridlceus:  —  Placent:  puto  esse  viros  bonos. 

Heec  jam  pauca  prsefatus  et  protestatus,  confero  me  mine 
ad  propositarum  propositionum  responsionem,  et  responsionum 
mearum  explicationes  et  confirmationes  brevissimas. 

PRIMA  PROPOSITIO  A  PAPISTIS  PROPOSITA. 

Forma  autem  conclusionum  hsec  erat. 

In  sacramento  altaris,  virtute  verbi  divini  a  sacerdote  pro- 
lati,  prsesens  est  realiter  sub  speciebus  panis  et  vini  naturale 
corpus  Christi,  conceptum  de  Virgine  Maria,  item  naturalis 
ejusdem  sanguis. 

RESPONSIO 


Respondeo,  Non  est  humano  aut  seculi  sensu  in  Dei  re 
bus  loquendum.  Prima  itaque  propositio  vel  conclusio  for- 
mata  est  phrasi  a  sacra  scriptura  aliena,  et  multis  ambiguis 
obscuritatibus  involuta  et  implicata.  In  sensu  autem,  quern 
docent  scholastici,  et  hodierna  Romanensis  ecclesia  defendit, 
falsa  est,  erronea,  atque  doctrinae,  quse  est  secundum  pieta- 
tem,  plane  contraria. 


APPENDIX    I.  439 

EXPLICATIO. 

Diversitas  et  novitas  phraseos,  et  quam  sit  a  scriptura 
aliena,  in  tota  hac  prima  propositione  et  in  singulis  pene 
partibus  ita  patet  et  evidens  est  vel  mediocriter  versato  in 
sacris  literis,  ut  nihil  necesse  jam  putem,  in  hoc  ccetu  docto- 
rum  virorum,  in  ea  re  demonstranda  aliquid  temporis  (nisi 
id  a  me  postea  postulatum  fuerit,)  collocare. 

Ambiguitas  est  in  verbis,  "virtute  verbi  divini."  Am- 
biguum  enim  est,  quod  sit  istud  verbum  divinum :  illudne 
quod  legitur  in  Evangelistis,  aut  in  Paulo,  aut  aliquod  aliud. 
Si  quod  in  Evangelistis  aut  in  Paulo,  quodnam  illud  sit :  si 
non  ex  illis,  quomodo  cognoscitur  esse  verbum  divinum  et 
tantse  virtutis,  ut  hanc  tantam  rem  efficere  valeat? 

Item  ambiguitur  de  verbo,  "  a  sacerdote,"  an  ullus  dicendus 
sit  sacerdos,  nisi  cui  data  sit  potestas  sacrificandi  expiatorie 
pro  vivis  et  mortuis ;  et  unde  patet  hanc  auctoritatem  esse  a 
Deo  ulli  mortalium,  prseterquam  uni  Christo,  commissam? 

Dubitatur  etiam,  secundum  quern  ordinem  futurus  sacri- 
ficans  sacerdos  sit ;  utrum  secundum  ordinem  Aaron,  an 
secundum  ordinem  Melchisedec.  Nam  plures  ordines  sacer- 
dotii  non  probat,  quod  sciam,  sacra  scriptura. 

Vuestonus : — Sufficiant  ista. 

Ridlceus: — Si  desit  tempus,  sunt  adhuc  dies  multi.  Nee 
ego  sum  qui  velim,  quod  non  possum,  abire. 

Vuestonus : — Hsec  sunt  subterfugia  :  eludis  tempus. 

Ridlceus: — Non  possum  fugere.     Captus  sum,  et  vinctus. 

Vuestonus : — Congredimini. 

Smithus: — Sufficiant  quse  dixisti. 

Ridlceus : — Sine,  quseso ;  non  adeo  multa  sunt  quse  sum 
dicturus. 

Vuestonus : — Perge. 

Ridlceus: — Item  in  verbo  " realiter,"  ambiguum  est  an 
sumatur  transcendenter,  et  sic  potest  hie  signare  quamcunque 
rem  quse  ad  corpus  Christi  quovis  modo  spectat ;  et  sic  con- 
cedimus,  corpus  Christi  realiter  esse  in  sacramento  coense 
Dominicse ;  sicut  inter  disputandum,  si  detur  occasio,  a  nobis 
declarabitur :  vel  rem  ipsam  corpoream,  animatam,  quse 
assumpta  est  in  unitatem  personse  a  Verbo  Dei ;  secundum 
quam  significationem,  corpus  Christi  cum  sit  in  coelis  realiter 


440 


APPENDIX 


propter  verum  corporis  modum,  hie  in  terris  esse  dicendus 
non  est. 

Item  in  verbis,  "  sub  speciebus  panis  et  vim,"  ambiguum 
est  utrum  species  significare  intelliguntur  formas  tantum  ac- 
cidentales  et  exteriores  panis  et  vini,  an  naturas  eorumdem 
substantiales,  suis  qualitatibus  visibiles,  et  externis  sensibus 
perceptibiles. 

Falsitas  autem  propositionis  in  sensu  Romanensis  ecclesise 
et  scholasticorum  hinc  patere  potest.  UK  enim  ponunt  panem 
transubstantiari  in  carnem  assumptam  a  Verbo  Dei :  idque,  ut 
aiunt,  per  virtutem  ejus  verbi,  quod  illi  conceptis  vocibus  et 
syllabis  formaverimt ;  quod  in  nullo  reperiri  potest  Evange- 
listarum,  aut  in  Paulo :  atque  inde  colligunt,  corpus  Ohristi 
realiter  contineri  in  sacramento  altaris.  Quse  positio,  quoniam 
fundatur  super  fundamento  transubstantiationis,  (quod  est 
fundamentum  monstrosum,  absurdum  et  analogic  sacramen- 
torum  interemptivum ;)  idcirco  et  hsec  prima  propositio,  quae 
super  hoc  putre  fundamentum  et  vanum  superstruitur,  falsa 
est,  erronea,  et  infami  sacramentariorum  errori  inerito  de- 
putanda. 

Vuestonus  : — Teritur  tempus. 

Eidlwus: — Non  deerit  tempus:  supersunt  adhuc  multi 
dies. 

Vuestonus: — Perge  ad  argumenta:  prsescribetur  tibi  alius 
dies.  , 

Ridlceus : — Nil  habeo  amplius,  quod  de  explicatione  dicam  ; 
si  permiseritis,  dicam  paucis  de  confirmatione. 

Vuestonus : — Perge. 

RESPONSIONIS  JAM  DAT.E  CONFIRMATIO. 

RidlaHt: — Non  est  statuendum  dogma  aliquod  in  ec-i 
clesia  Dei,  quod  dissentiat  a  verbo  Dei,  et  ab  analogia  fidei, 
et  quod  secum  trahat  inultas  absurditates.  Sed  dogma  hoc 
primse  propositionis  tale  est :  ergo  non  est  statuendum  in  ec- 
clesia  Dei.  Major  patet,  et  minor  probatur  sic :  Hoc  dogma 
ponit  realem,  et  corporalem,  et  carnalem  carnis  Christi  a 
Verbo  assumptse  in  sacramento  coenae  Dominicae  prsesentiam; 
idque  non  per  virtutem  et  gratiam,  quod  et  orthodoxi  faten- 
tur,  sed  per  integram  essentiam  et  substantial!!  corporis  et 
carnis  Christi.  Sed  talis  prsesentia  dissentit  a  verbo  Dei, 


APPENDIX 


ab  analogia  fidei,  et  multas  secum  necessario  trahit  absur- 
ditates :  ergo,  etc.  Major  est  manifesta,  et  minor  adhuc 
probatur  sic. 

Vuestonus: — Tu  bonas  horas  male  perdis.  Domine  op- 
ponens,  perge  ad  argumenta. 

Smithus: — Disseremus  de  transubstantiatione,  quam  tu 
asseris  contrariam  esse  analogiae  fidei.  Contrariurn  probo 
ex  scripturis  et  patribus.  Sed  antequam  tecum  congrediar, 
quseso  an  in  sexto  Johannis  fiat  mentio  de  sacramento,  aut 
de  reali  prsesentia  corporis  Christ!  in  eucharistia? 

Ridlcvus: — Iniquum  videtur  esse,  ut  amputentur  ea  quae 
erani  dicturus:  nee  adeo  multa  sunt,  paucis  dicentur. 

Vuestonus : — Legat. 

Eidlwus: — Primo,  Talis  prsesentia  contraria  est  locis  ali 
quot  saerse  scripturse.  Secundo,  Dissentit  ab  articulis  fidei. 
Tertio,  Evacuat  et  tollit  institutionem  Domini  de  sua  coena. 
Quarto,  Prostituit  preciosa  prophanis ;  projicit  enim  quod  sanc 
tum  est  canibus,  margaritas  scilicet  porcis.  Quinto,  Multa 
cogit  monstrosa  miracula  prseter  necessitatem  et  auctoritatem 
verbi  Dei  ponere.  Sexto,  Ansam  prsebet  hsereticis,  qua  suos- 
errores  tueantyr,  qui  non  recte  de  duabus  in  Christo  naturis 
sentiebant.  Septimo,  Fidem  veritatis  humanse  in  Christo 
minuit.  Postremo,  Falsificat  dicta  patrum  orthodoxorum ; 
falsificat  et  fidem  ecclesiae  catholicam,  quam  Apostoli  tra- 
diderunt,  martyres  roboraverunt,  et  fideles,  (ut  quidam  ex 
patribus  ait,)  usque  nunc  custodiunt.  Ergo  minor  est  vera~ 

PROBATIO  ANTECEDENTIS  HUJUS  ARGUMENTI  PER  PARTES. 

Talis  prsesentia  contraria  est  verbo  Dei,  Johan.  xvi.  Ve- 
ritatem  dico  vobis,  expedit  vobis  ut  ego  vadam:  si  enim 
non  abiero,  Paracletus  ad  vos  non  venit.  Act.  iii.  Quern 
oportet  quidem  coelum  accipere  usque  ad  tempora  restitu- 
tionis  omnium,  quse  loquutus  est  Deus.  Matth.  ix.  Non 
possunt  filii  Sponsi  lugere,  quamdiu  cum  illis  est  Sponsus. 
Sed  nunc  est  tempus  luctus.  Beati  qui  lugent,  etc.  Johan. 
xvi.  Iterum  videbo  vos  et  gaudebit  cor  vestrum.  Johan.  xiv. 
Iterum  veniam,  et  assumam  vos  ad  meipsum.  Matth.  xxiv. 
Si  dixerint  vobis,  Ecce  hie  Christus,  aut  illic,  nolite  credere : 
et  ibidem :  Ubicunque  merit  cadaver,  ibi  congregabuntur  et 
aquilce. 


442  APPENDIX    I. 

2.  Dissentit  ab  articulis  fidei:  Ascendit  ad  ccelos,  sedeft 
ad  dextram  Dei  Patris.     Incle,  et  non  aliunde,  ut  inquit  Au- 
gustinus,  venturus  est  ad  judicandum  vivos  et  mortuos. 

3.  Evacuat  et  tollit  institutionem  ccense  Dorninicse,  ut- 
pote  qua3  tantum  jussa  est  tantisper  continuari,  donee  ipse 
Dominus   venerit.      Si   igitur   nunc    prsesens    est   realiter   in 
veritate   corporis  carnis,  debet  hsec  coena  cessare.     Comme- 
moratio   non    est    rei    prgesentis,   sed   prseteritse   et   absentis. 
Memoria  autem   et   prsesentia   differunt.      Atque  frustra  ibi 
ponitur  figura,  inquit  ex  patribus  quidam,    ubi    res   figurata 
prsesens  est. 

4.  Prostituit  preciosa  profanis,  et   multa   cogit   absurda 
fateri.     Asserit  enim  adulteros  et  homicidas  impoenitentes,  imo 
(ut   est   quorundam  apud  istos   opinio)    impios   et    infideles, 
mures  et  canes,  recipere  corpus  Domini  nostri  reale  et  cor- 
porale,  in  quo  inhabitat  plenitudo  Spiritus,  lucis,  et  gratise, 
contra   manifesta   verba,    Johan.   vi.   in   sex  ibidem   locis   et 
sententiis.     Statuit  avOpcoTrcxpayiav,  id  est,  bestialem  quan- 
dam  crudelitatem.     Crudelius  est  enim  hominem  vivum  com- 
edere,  quam  interimere. 

Pius: — Petit  tempus  ut  edat  blasphemias.     Mitte  blas 
phemias. 

;  Ridlceus: — Ego  non  expectabam  a  vobis  hujusmodi  con- 
tumelias. 

Vuestonus: — Omnia  pacata,   omnia  tranquilla;   perge  ad 
argumenta,  Domine  Doctor. 

Ridlceus: — B-estant  non  multa. 

Vuestonus : — Impudentissimo     ore    prefers     blasphemias : 
perge  ad  argumenta :  incipe. 

teeebantu°n        5-     Ridlwus : — Cogit    multa   monstrosa    miracula    prseter 
quodproio-  nccessitatcm  et  auctoritatem  verbi  Dei  ponere.     In  adventu 

cutor  pro- 

^ujus  prsssentise  corporis  et  carnis  Christi  substantiam  panis 
extrudunt ;  ponunt  autem  accidentia  sine  subjeeto,  substituunt 
Christi  corpus,  sed  sine  suis  qualitatibus  et  vero  corporis  modo. 
Si  vero  sacramentum  tarn  diu  servetur,  ut  mucescat,  et  ver- 
mes  inde  generentur,  quidam  dicunt  substantiam  panis  mira- 
culose  redire :  alii  negant.  Quidam  corpus  Christi  dicunt  in 
stomachum  recipientis  descendere,  et  ibi  tarn  diu  manere, 
donee  species  calore  naturali  consumantur:  quidam  in  bonis 
manere  dicunt,  quamdiu  ipsi  permanent  esse  boni :  quidam- 


APPENDIX    I.  443 

tarn  cito  corpus  Christ!  in  ccelum  rapi  dicunt,  quam  cito 
species  dentibus  teruntur.  0  mirabiliarios !  Vere  in  istis 
impletum  esse  vereor  quod  prophetavit  Paulus:  Pro  eo  quod 
dilectionem  veritatis  non  receperunt  in  hoc  ut  salvi  fierent, 
mittet  illis  Deus  efficaciam  illusionis,  ut  credant  mendacio, 
ut  judicentur  omnes  qui  non  crediderunt  veritati.  Msec  pne-  2  Thess.  ii. 
sentia  commentum  illud  concomitantise  peperit,  quse  sustulit 
hodie  et  abrogavit  prseceptum  Domini  de  coramunicando 
poculo  Domini  laicis. 

6.  Ansam  pncbet  hsereticis  errandi,  et  suos  errores  de- 
fendendi ;  ut  Marcioni,  qui  dixit  Christum  habere  corpus 
phantasticum ;  et  Eutychi,  qui  confudit  impie  duas  in  Christo 
naturas. 

Postremo  falsificat  dicta  patrum  orthodoxorum  et  fidem 
ecclesifc  catholicam,  quam  Vigilius,  martyr  et  auctor  gravis, 
dicit  esse  traditam  ab  Apostolis,  sanguine  martyrum  robora- 
tum,  et  a  fidelibus  ad  suam  usque  setatem  custoditam.  Dicta 
patrum  intelligo,  Justini,  Irensei,  Tertulliani,  Origenis,  Euse- 
bii  (Emisseni),  Athanasii,  Cyrilli,  Epiphanii,  Hieronymi,  Chry- 
sostomi,  Augustini,  Vigilii,  Fulgentii,  et  Bertrami :  quorum 
omnium  atque  aliorum  quoque  vetustissimorum  patrum  loca 
in  hanc  sententiam  scio  me  legisse;  et  si  esset  librorum 
meorum  mihi  concessa  copia,  possem  commonstrare,  idque 
sub  periculo  capitis  mei  et  amissionis  omnium  quse  in  hoc 
mundo  amittere  possum. 

Nolite  putare,  fratres,  nos,  quoniam  hanc  prsesentiam 
corporis  Christi,  quam  hsec  prima  propositio  ponit,  impro- 
bavimus,  utpote  quam  censemus  esse  commentitiam,  phan- 
tasticam,  et  prseter  autoritatem  verbi  Dei  in  ecclesiam  a 
Eomanensibus  introductam,  propterea  velle  tollere  veram  il- 
lam  prsesentiam  corporis  Christi  in  sua  ccena,  rite  et  legiti- 
me  administrata,  quse  est  fundata  in  verbo  Dei,  et  patrum 
orthodoxorum  commentariis  illustratur.  Qui  de  me  ita  sen- 
tiunt,  Deus  novit  quam  multum  illi  hallticinentur :  idque  ut 
vobis  planum  manifestumque  faciam,  declarabo  paucissimis,: 
quam  ego  veram  in  verbo  Dei  et  priscis  patribus  statuo  in 
Sacramento  coenre  Domini cse  corporis  Christi  prsesentiam. 

Cum  Luca  Evangelista  et  Paulo  Apostolo  dico,  panem 
in  quo  gratis  actee  sunt,  esse  corpus  Christi  ad  mcmorianv 
ipsius  et  mortis  ejus,  usque  ad  adventum  ejus,  perpetuo  a 


414  APPENDIX    1. 

lidelibus  celebrandam.     Dico  item,   panem   quern   frangimus, 
esse  communicationem  corporis  Christi. 

Cum  orthodoxis  patribus  sic  loquor  et  censeo,  non  so- 
lum  significationem  corporis  Dominici  fieri  per  sacramentum 
suae  coenae :  sed  una  cum  illo  exhiberi  quoque  fateor  piis 
et  fidelibus  gratiam  corporis  Christi,  vitam  scilicet  atque 
seternitatis  alimoniam:  idque  cum  Cypriano.  Manducamus 
vitam,  bibimus  vitam,  cum  Augustino :  sentimus  Dominum 
prsesentem  in  gratia,  cum  Emisseno :  recipimus  cibum  coe- 
lestium,  et  superne  venientem,  cum  Athanasio :  proprietatem 
naturalis  communionis  cum  Hilario :  naturam  carnis  et  be- 
nedictionem  vivificativam  in  pane  et  vino,  cum  Cyrillo :  et 
cum  eodem,  virtutem  propriae  carnis  Christi,  vitam  et  gra 
tiam  corporis,  unigeniti  proprietatem,  id  est,  ut  Cyrillus  ipse 
disertis  verbis  exponit,  vitam.  Fatemur  nos  recipere,  cum 
Basilio,  mysticum  Christi  adventum,  gratiam  verae  naturae, 
atque  verse  carnis  sacramentum :  cum  Ambrosio,  corpus  per 
gratiam :  cum  Epiphanio,  carnem  spiritualem,  sed  aliam  ab 
ea  quae  crucifixa  est :  cum  Hieronymo,  gratiam  influentem 
in  sacrificium,  et  Spiritus  gratiam :  cum  Chrysostomo,  gra 
tiam,  veritatem  invisibilem :  gratiam  et  societatem  membro- 
rum  corporis  Christi,  cum  Augustino.  Postremo  cum  Ber- 
tramo,  qui  horum  fuit  omnium  postremus,  fatemur,  secundum 
id  haberi  in  sacramento  ccenae  Dominicae  corpus  Christi, 
videlicet  ut  ipse  exponit,  quod  sit  in  eo  spiritus  Christi :  id 
est,  Divini  potentia  verbi,  quae  non  solum  animum  pascit, 
verum  etiam  purgat.  Ex  his  opinor  omnibus  dilucide  pa- 
tere  potest,  quam  simus  ab  ea  sententia  alieni,  qua  nos  falso 
quidam  orbi  traducere  conantur,  dicentes,  nos  nihil  aliud 
docere  quam  figuram  corporis  Christi  in  mensa  Dominica  a 
piis  et  fidelibus  recipiendam  expectari  oportere. 

PROPOSITIO  SECUNDA. 

Post  consecrationem  non  remanet  substantia  panis  et  vim, 
nee  ulla  alia  substantia,  nisi  substantia  Dei  et  hominis. 

RESPONSIO  N.  RIDL^EI  AD  SECUNDAM  PROPOSITIONEM. 

Secunda  conclusio  est  simplicitur  falsa ;  verbo  Dei,  naturae 
sacramenti,  patrum  orthodoxorum  clarissimis  dictis  ex  dia- 
metro  contraria.  Est  putre  fundamentum  reliquarum  duarum, 


•APPENDFX    I. 


445 


qua?  nobis  propositee  sunt,  videlicet  primge  et  tertise  conclu- 
sionum.  Ad  hanc  igitur  responsionem  non  morabor  vos  ulla 
explicatione,  contentus  scilicet  ea  qu«  jam  exposita  est  prius 
ad  responsionem  primse  propositionis. 

EESPONSIONIS  AD  SECUNDAM  PROPOSITIONEM  CONFIRMATIO. 

1.  Constat  ex  verbo  Dei,  Christum  panem  dedisse  dis- 
cipulis,  illumque  suum  corpus  appellasse :  sed  substantia  panis 
altera  est  a  substantia  Christi  Dei  et  hominis.     Ergo  conclusio 
est  falsa.     Minor  patet;   et  major  probatur  sic:   Hoc  dedit 
discipulis,  appellavitque   corpus   suum,  quod   accepit,  in   quo 
gratias   egit,  quod   fregit:    sed  accepit  panem,  super  panem 
gratias   egit,   et   fregit   panem:    ergo   major  vera.     Et    con- 
firmatur  auctoritatibus  patrum   Irensei,   Tertulliani,   Origenis, 
Cypriani,   Epiphanii,   Hieronymi,  Augustini,  Theodoreti,   Cy- 
rilli,   Rabani,   Bedse.      Horum  loca   recipio    me    ostensurum 
clarissima,  si  modo  concedatur  (quod  quidem  peto)  librorum 
copia. 

2.  Panis   est   corpus   Christi,   ergo   est   panis:   a   tertio 
adjacente  ad  secundum  adjacens  cum  verbi  substantivi  pura 
copula.      Sicut   panis   mensse   Dominicse   est    corpus    Christi 
naturale,  ita  est  et  corpus  ejus  mysticum :  sed  non  est  corpus 
Christi  mysticum  per   transubstantiationem :    ergo   neque  sic 
est  corpus  Christi  naturale.     Minor  patet ;  et  major  probatur 
sic :    Ut  Christus,   qui   est   veritas,   dixit  de  pane,   Hoc  est 
corpus  meum,  quod  pro  vobis  tradetur,  loquens  ibi  de  corpore 
naturali ;    ita    Paulus   ab   eodem    Spiritu    veritatis    impulsus 
dixit:   Unus  panis  et  unum  corpus  multi  sumus,  omnes  qui 
de  uno  pane  participants. 

3.  Non  magis  credendus  est  panis  transubstantiari  in  cor 
pus  Christi,  quam  vinum  in  sanguinem :  sed  vinum  non  tran- 
substantiatur  in  sanguinem ;  ergo  nee  panis  in  corpus.     Major 
est  manifesta :   probatur  minor  ex  auctoritate  verbi  Dei  et  in 
Matthseo  et  in  Marco :   Non  bibam  ex  hoc  fructu  vitis,  et 
csetera.     Fructus  autem  vinum  est,  quod  Christus  bibebat,  et 
discipulis  bibendum  dedit.     Huic  sententiae  clarissime  suffra- 
gatur  Chrysostomi  locus  in  Matthseo  xxvi.  suffragatur  Cypri- 
anus :  affirmat  sanguinem  deesse,  si  desit  vinum  in  calice. 

4.  Verba  Christi  Domini  super  poculum  apud  Lucam  et 
Paulum  sunt  tarn  emcacia,  quam  qure  dicuntur  super  panem : 


446 


APPENDIX    I. 


sed  dicta  super  poculum  non  habent  vim  transubstantiandi  s, 
ergo,  etc.  Minor  probatur,  quia  tune  transubstantiarent  ca^ 
licem,  vel  quod  est  in  calice,  in  novum  Testamentum.  Sed 
neutrum  hoc  fieri  potest,  et  absurdum  est  confiteri. 

5.  Ille  sensus  sacrse  scripturse  (de  sacramentis  loquor) 
maxime  deligendus  est,  quern  maxime  circumstantise  scriptu- 
rarum,  analogia  sacramentorum,  et  patrum  dicta  probant. 
Hsec  maxime  probant  locutionem  tropicam  in  verbis  ccense 
Dominican :  est  ergo  sensus  tropicus  in  eisdem  maxime  recipi- 
endus.  Circumstantise  scripturse :  Hoc  facite  in  mei  comme- 
morationem :  Quotiescunque  comederitis  panem  hunc,  et  de 
poculo  hoc  biberitis,  mortem  Domini  annunciabitis :  Probet 
seipsum  homo,  et  sic  de  pane  illo  edat,  et  de  poculo  bibat: 
Convenerunt  ad  frangendum  panem,  et  perseverarunt  in  frac- 
tione  panis:  Panis  quern  frangimus  etc.  Quoniam  unus 
panis  et  unum  corpus  multi  sumus. 

Analogia  sacramentorum  necessaria  est.  Nam  si  sacra- 
menta  aliquam  similitudinem  non  haberent  earum  rerum  qua-, 
rum  sunt  sacramenta,  omnino  sacramenta  non  essent. 

1.  Similitudo  hsec  in  sacramento  coense  Dominicae  triplex 
est:  Prima  consistit  in  alitione.     Vide  Rabanum,  Cyprianum, 
Augustinum,  et  Irenseum;    et   planissime  Isidorum  ex  Ber- 
tramo. 

2.  Secunda    in    compositione    multorum   in    unum :    ex 
Cypriano. 

3.  Tertia   est,   dissimilium  rerum    similitudo,    ubi    sicut 
panis  transit  in  corpus  nostrum,  ita  nos  per  legitimum  usum 
sacramenti  per  fidem  transimus  in  corpus  Christi. 

Dicta  patrum,  quod  sit  tropica  et  figurativa  locutio.  Ori- 
genes,  Tertullianus,  Chrysostomus  in  opere  imperfecto,  Au- 
gustinus,  Ambrosius,  Basilius,  Gregorius  Nazianzenus,  Hila- 
rius,  et  omnium  clarissime  Bertramus. 

Contra  transubstantiationem  militant  insuper  omnium  pa 
trum  dicta  loca,  quorum  nomina  supra  recensuimus  contra 
assertionem  primse  propositionis.  Sed  omnium  clarissime  et 
evidentissime  Irenseus,  Origenes,  Cyprianus,  Chrysostomus 
ad  Csesarium  monachum,  Augustinus  contra  Adamantum, 
Gelasius,  Cyrillus,  Epiphanius,  iterum  Chrysostomus  in  Mat- 
thseum  xx,  Eabanus,  Damascenus,  Bertramus. 

Hie  vos,  viri  venerabiles,  domine  Prolocutor,  et  vos  reliqui 


APPENDIX    I. 


447 


commissarii,  rogatos  velim,  uti  dignemini  cognoscere  me  non 
solum  niti  his  solis,  quse  hactenus  scrips!  in  meis  superioribus 
responsionibus  et  confirmationibus ;  sed  habere  quoque  pro 
mea  sententia  confirmanda,  qusecunque  scripsit  Bertramus, 
vir  doctus  et  orthodoxus,  quique  usque  in  hanc  nostram 
setatem  jam  septingentis  annis  semper  habitus  est  catholicus. 
Cujus  tractatum  quicunque  legerit  perpenderitque,  considerans 
setatem  scriptoris,  eruditionem,  sanctimoniam,  veterum  alle-  Ridiaeus  per 

'  '  .  Bertramum 

gationes  et  rationes  illius  multiplices  et  solidissimas,  mirabor  in  hanc 

~f  ...  sententiam 

si  quisquam  timentium  Deum  possit  ei  in  negotio  eucha-  adductus. 
ristiae  salva  conscientia  contradicere.  Hie  mihi  primus  aurem 
vulsit,  et  a  pervulgato  Komanensis  ecclesue  errore  ad  dili- 
gentiorem  veterum  ecclesiasticorum  scriptorum  hac  in  re  in- 
vestigationem  primus  ire  coegit.  Et  hsec  loquor  coram  Deo, 
qui  scit  me  in  his,  quse  jam  scribo,  non  mentiri. 

TERTIA  PROPOSITIO. 

In  missa  est  vivificum  ecclesise  sacrificium,  pro  peccatis 
tarn  vivorum  quam  mortuorum  propitiabile. 

RESPONSIO  NICOLAI  EIDLJEI  AD  TERTIAM  PROPOSITIONEM. 

Ad  tertiam  similiter,  ut  ad  primam,  respondeo ;  atque  in- 
super  dico,  earn  in  sensu,  quern  verba  videntur  prse  se  ferre, 
non  solum  esse  erroneam,  sed  in  tantum  quoque  esse  mortis  et 
passionis  Christ!  derogativam,  ut  non  immerito  (mea  quidem 
sententia)  impia  et  in  preciosissimum  sanguinem  Christi 
Servatoris  blasphema  censeri  et  possit  et  debeat. 

De  missa  Romanensi,  quse  hodie  extat,  aut  ejus  vivifico 
sacrificio  propitiabili  pro  peccatis  vivorum  et  mortuorum, 
universa  sacra  scriptura  ne  gry  quidem  habet.  Ambiguitas 
de  missse  nomine  quid  significet,  et  an  hodie  ulla,  qualis  fuit 
veterum,  vere  habeatur,  quum  jam  nulli  aut  catechumen! 
aut  permanentes  dimittantur. 

Item  in  illis  verbis,  "  Vivifico  ecclesiae  sacrificio,"  ambigi- 
fur,  an  intelligantur  tropice  et  sacramentaliter,  pro  vivifici  sa- 
crificii  sacramento,  quod  in  coena  Domini  non  negatur  ad-. 
esse;  an  proprie  et  citra  omnem  tropum,  quo  modo  unicum 
tantum  fuit,  idque  semel  oblatum,  videlicet  in  ara  crucis. 
i  Item  in  illis  verbis,  "tarn,  quam,"  ambiguum  esse  potest, 


448 


APPENDIX    I. 


utrum  in  sensu  dicatur  ludicro,  quo  dici  solet  per  jocum  de 
prorsus  inepto,  quod  sit  aptus  tarn  moribus  quam  scientia. 

Et  in  verbo  "  propitiabile"  dubitatur,  an  idem  sit  quod 
propitiatorium  et  expiatorium :  an  quod  potest  reddi  pro- 
pitium;  hoc  est,  utrum  active  vel  passive  capiatur. 

Falsitas  autem  in  sensu  scholasticorum  et  ecclesiae  Eo- 
manensis,  atque  impietas  in  sensu  quern  verba  prse  se  ferre 
videntur,  hsec  est ;  quia  illi  innixi  suo  transubstantiationis 
fundamento,  ponunt  vinum  et  animatum  corpus  carnis  Christi 
unitum  Divinitati  delitescere  sub  accidentibus  panis  et  vini : 
quod  est  falsum,  uti  supra  dictum  est ;  et  superstruentes  su 
per  hoc  fundamentum,  dicunt  etiam  illud  corpus  offerri  Deo 
a  sacerdote  in  suis  quotidianis  missis  ad  expianda  peccata 
vivorum  et  mortuorum. 

RESPONSIONIS  DAT^R  CONFIRMATIO. 

1.  Ubi   non   adest   sacerdos   idoneus  ad  offerendum  sa- 
crificium  propitiabile,  ibi  tale  sacrificium  offerri  non  potest: 
sed  nullus  est  idoneus  sacerdos  prseter  Christum.     Ergo  tale 
sacrificium  in  quotidianis  missis  a  sacerdotibus  offerri  non  po 
test.     Probatur  minor :  officium  offerendi  grandis  est  honor : 
sed  nemo  debet  sumere  sibi  honorem,  nisi  qui  vocatur  a  Deo. 
Nemo  autem  hie  vocatus  est  prseter  unicum  Christum  Ser- 
vatorem.     Ergo  nemo  illud  prseter  unicum  Christum  offerre 
potest.     Quod  nemo  praeter  unicum  Christum  ad  hunc  gra- 
dum  vocatus  sit,  hinc  patet.     Duplex  est  tantum  ordo  sacer- 
dotii   probatus   in  verbo   Dei,  secundum   Aaron   videlicet   et 
secundum  ordinem  Melchisedec.     Ordo  Aaronis  jam  cessavit 
propter  inutilitatem  et  imbecillitatem.     At  secundum  ordinem 
Melchisedec  unicus  est  tantum  sacerdos   Christus   Dominus, 
sacerdotium  habens  ctTrapafiaTov. 

2.  Cujus  nulla  est  necessitas  ut  fiat,  id  frustra  fit.     Sed 
nulla  est  necessitas  offerendi   amplius  sacrificium  propitiato 
rium  sen  propitiabile  pro  vivis  et  mortuis:   nam  id  Christus 
servator  noster  semel  abunde  perfecit  et  explevit.     Ergo  si 
in  missa  id  fiat,  frustra  fit. 

3.  Postquam   inventa   est  seterna   ledemptio,   non   opus 
est  amplius  quotidiana  oblatione.     At  Christus  accedens  pon- 
tifex,  etc.,  seternam  nobis  invenit  redemptionem.      Ergo  non 


APPENDIX     I.  449 

amplius  opus  est  quotidiana  pro  expiandis  peccatis  mortiiorum 
et  vivorum  oblatione. 

4.  Absque  sanguinis  effusione  non  fit  remissio.     Sed  in  Heb.  ix. 
missa  non  est  sanguinis  effusio.     Ergo  in  missa  non  fit  re 
missio,  et  per  consequens  neque  sacrificium  propitiabile. 

5.  In  missa  non  est  Christ!  passio  in  veritate,  sed  tan- 
tum  signata  mysterio,  etiam  ubi  ccena  Domini  legitime  per- 
agitur:   sed  ubi  Christus  non  est   passus,  ibi  neque  in  veri 
tate  est  oblatus.     Ait  enim  Paulus :  non  ut  ssepius  semetip- 
sum  oflferat,  alioquin   oportuisset  ilium  ssepius  passum   fuisse 
a   condito   mundo.      Ubi   Christus   non  offertur,  ibi  non  est 
sacrificium   propitiabile.      Nam   Christus   semel  sub  consum- 
mationem  seculorum   ad   profligationem   peccatorum   per   im- 
molationem  sui  ipsius  apparuit :  et  quatenus  manet  illud  om- 
nes  homines,  ut  semel  moriantur,  post  hoc  autem  judicium; 
ita  et  Christus  semel  oblatus  est,  ut  multorum  peccata  tol- 
leret,   rursusque   absque   peccato    conspicietur    iis    qui    ilium 
expectant  in  salutern. 

6.  Ubi  est  hostia,  quse  potest  accedentes  perfectos  red- 
dere,  ibi  desinere  debent  homines  amplius  hostias  offerre  ex- 
piatorias.      Sed   sub  novo  testamento  est  unica  hostia  jam- 
pridem    oblata,    quse    potest    perfectos    in    seternum    reddere 
accedentes.      Ergo   in   novo   testamento   desinendum   est   ab 
hostiis  expiatoriis  offerendis. 

7.  In   eundem   sensum   et   sententiam   tendunt  manifes- 
tissime   loca   scripturarum   quse   sequuntur,  unde  et  manifes- 
tissima  inde  argumenta  formari  possunt.     Videlicet,  per  quam 
voluntatem    (inquit   Paulus)    sanctificati   sumus   per   oblatio- 
nem    corporus    Jesu   Christi    semel    peractam.      Et   ibidem: 

Hie   vero   una   pro   peccatis   oblata   victima,    perpetuo   sedet  Heb.  x. 
ad  dexteram  Dei,  &c.  unica  enim  oblatione  perfectos  effecit 
in   perpetuum   eos   qui   justificantur.     Per   semetipsum   facta  Heb.  i. 
purgatione  peccatorum :  Hebr.  primo.    Obsecro,  notate  verbum 
"  semetipsum" :  quod  bene  notatum  procul  dubio  dirimit  uni- 
versam  controversiam. 

8 .     Hebr.   x.   negat   Paulus   ei   qui  sanguinem  filii  Dei,  Heb.  x 
per  quern  fuit  ipse  sanctificatus,  conculcaverit,  reliquam  esse 
hostiam.     Non  vult  Christus  iterum  crucifigi,  non  vult  mortem 
suam  ludibrio  exponi.     Et  ad  Colossenses:  Reconciliavit  nosCoi.i. 
in  corpore  carnis  suse.     Observate,  obsecro,  non  dicit,  in  mys- 

29 
[RIDLEY.] 


450  APPENDIX    1. 

terio  corporis,  sed  in  corpore  carnis  suse.     Et  prima  Johannis 
Joh.  ii.      secundo :  Si  quis  peccaverit,  advocatum  habemus,  etc. 

Scio  hsec  omnia  scripturarum  loca  deludi  a  quibusdam 
duplici  commento.  Alterum  est,  per  distinctionem  de  sacri- 
ficio  cruento  et  incruento :  quasi  vero  nostrum  incruentum 
ecclesise  sacrificium  aliud  esset  quam  laus  et  gratiarum 
actio ;  quam  illus  unici  cruenti  semel  peracti  commemoratio, 
annunciatio  et  sacramentalis  reprsesentatio,  &c.  Alterum 
commentum  est :  depravant  orthodoxorum  patrum  dicta  ad 
intellectum  alienum,  quern  ipsi  patres  nunquam  senserunt. 
Quid  autem  patres  senserint,  manifeste  patet  ex  Angustino 
in  epistola  ad  Bonifacium,  et  lib.  Ixiii.  libro  nono  contra 
Faustum  Manichseum,  et  in  aliis  locis  quamplurimis ;  ex 
Eusebio  (Emisseno),  Cypriano,  Chrysostomo,  Theodoreto, 
Fulgentio,  Bertramo,  et  aliis,  quorum  omnium  procul  dubio 
hsec  est  unanimis  concorsque  in  Domino  sententia,  videlicet 
quod  indefessa  currit  pro  salute  hominis  redemptio  perpetua, 
quse  semel  facta  est  in  veritate ;  quod  hostia  semel  oblata 
consumi  non  potest ;  quod  tarn  potens  est  Christi  passio,  tarn 
crescens  virtus  et  vigor  illius  semel  effiisi  cruoris  hodie  ad 
ablutionem  peccatorum,  quam  fuit  illo  eodem  die,  cum  ex 
benedicto  Christi  servatoris  latere  effluxit.  Quanquam  omnis 
sacrificii  nostri  ratio,  quod  in  coena  Dominica  in  ecclesia 
frequentatur,  consistit  in  orationibus,  laude  et  gratiarum 
actione,  in  recordatione  et  annunciatione  illius  semel  in  ara 
crucis  oblati  sacrificii,  ut  jugitur  coleretur  per  mysterium, 
qui  semel  duntaxat  et  non  amplius  offerebatur  in  pretium. 

EPILOGUS. 

Hsec  sunt,  viri  venerabiles,  domine  Prolocutor,  et  reliqui 
domini  commissarii,  quse  ad  vestras  tres  mini  propositas  pro- 
positiones  respondere  nunc  potui  in  hac  consiliorum  inopia, 
et  prsesidio  librorum  destitutus :  quamobrem  provoco  ad 
meam  primam  protestationem,  cujus  auxilium,  quantum  licet, 
postulo  mihi  non  denegari.  Et  quoniam  nuper  a  vobis  sen 
tentia  lata  est  in  me  multis  nominibus  injusta  et  iniqua; 
ego  igitur,  quatenus  mihi  licet,  ab  eadem  appello  ad  sequi- 
orem  justioremque  justi  alicujus  judicis  superioris  compe- 
tentisque  et  legitimi  censuram  et  judicium,  idque  juxta  sta- 


APPENDIX    I.  451 

turn  approbatum  ecclesiae  Anglicanae :  licet  quis  is  jam  sit, 
propter  mutationem  reipublicae,  fateor  me  ignorare.  Quale 
judicium  si  mihi  in  terris  non  datur  habere,  tune  tanquam 
ad  sacram  anchoram  et  unicum  salutis  meae  portum  confugio 
ad  sententiam  aeterni  judicis:  hoc  est,  omnipotentis  Dei, 
cujus  in  suos  misericordissimae  et  justitiae  et  justissimae  miseri- 
cordiae  totaliter  me  meamque  universam  causam  judicandam 
committo,  nihil  quicquam  desperans  de  patrocinio  advocati 
mei  et  unici  servatoris  nostri  Jesu  Christi.  Cui  cum  Patre 
sempiterno,  et  Spiritu  sancto  omnium  sanctificatore,  sit  nunc 
et  in  aeternum  omnis  honor  et  gloria.  Amen. 

Disputatio1  habita  Oxonice  xvn.8  Aprilis  de  reali  prcesentia 
corporis  Christi  in  eucharistia.     Anno  1554. 

Smithm3: — Dedisti  niihi  occasionem,  ut  jam  exordiar  ab 
alio  capite,  quam  proposueram :  visus  es  mihi  abuti  locis  scrip- 
turarum  de  ascensione  Christi,  ut  tollas  praesentiam  Christi 
in  eucharistia.  Ego  vero  contra  tuam  sententiam  infringam : 
ascensio  Christi  nihil  obstat  praesentise  reali  corporis  Christi 
in  eucharistia.  Ergo  quum  his  locis  inniteris,  falleris. 

Ridlceus: — Ego  tibi  visus  sum  argumentum  fortissimum 
fecisse  ab  ascensione  Christi  in  coelos;  sed  tu  male  colligis: 
nee  enim  solum  nititur  ascensione,  sed  ascensione  et  perman- 
sione  in  coelis. 

Smithus4: — Ascensio   Christi  in  coelos,  et  permansio  ibi,       (l)s 
obstant  reali  Christi  praesentiae  in  sacramento :  ergo  falleris. 

Ridlceus: — Realis    Christi   praesentiae    duplex   esse   potest       (2) 
intellectus.     Nam  si  intelligas  realem  Christi  praesentiam  se- 
cundum  assumptae  carnis  realem  et  corporalem  substantiam, 

1  See  p.  435. 

3  Instead  of  XVII.  we  have  in  the  MS.  z°,  which  stands  for  secundo 
in  other  places. 

3  This  first  speech  with  Ridley's  answer  is  omitted  in  the  MS.,  which 
begins  with  Smith's  next  observation,  'Ascensio  Christi',  &c. 

4  Parker  MS.— Here  the  disputation  begins,  and  the  speech  stands  thus : 
Ascensio  Christi  in  coelos,  et  ejusdem  ibidem  perpetua  sessio  ad  dex- 

teram  Patris,  non  obstant  quicquid  reali  praesentiae  corporis  Christi  hi 
sacramento  altaris:  ergo  tu  falleris. 

5  The  numbers  (1),  (2),  &c.  down  the  margin  indicate  the  speeches 
contained  in  the  Parker  MS. 

29—2 


452  APPENDIX    I. 

ea  praesentia  quum1  sit  in  coelis,  obstat  quo  minus  simul 
possit  esse  in  terris:  sin  intelligas  realem  prsesentiam  se- 
cundum  rem  aliquam  quse  ad  corpus  Christi  pertinet,  ea  sane 
non  obstat,  quare  sic  est  corpus  Christi  hie  nobis  in  coena 
Dominica,  per  gratiam,  ut  Epiphanius  loquitur2. 

Vuestonus : — Ego  vobis  praescindam  ambiguitates :  quoties 
loquimur  de  corpore  Christi,  loquimur  de  eo  quod  sumpsit 
de  Virgine. 

Ridlceus: — Hoc  non  potest  consistere. 
Smithus: — Non  obstante  ista  ascensione  et  permansione 
in  ccelis  perpetua  usque  in  diem  judicii,  Christus  post  as- 
censionem  apparuit  corporaliter  et  realiter  in  terra.  Ergo 
non  obstat  ascensio,  et  permansio  in  coelis,  prsesentise  ejus 
in  eucharistia  reali. 

Ridlceus: — Domine  doctor,  argumentum  non  valet.  Non 
ita  alligo  Christum  in  coelo,  ut  non  possit  libere  venire  in 
terras;  nam  quando  libet,  licet  illi  descendere,  et  in  terris 
esse,  quum  velit :  sed  ut  simul  in  coelo  sit  et  in  terra,  id 
dico  non  posse  fieri. 

Smithus: — Animadvertite  diligenter,  qui  adestis,  quid  re- 
spondeat.  Primo  dicit,  sessionem  Christi  ad  dexteram  Patris 
impedimento  esse  ejus  corporis  reali  prsesentiae  in  eucharistia: 
deinde  negat. 

Ridlceus: — Nolo  putes  me  fingere  aut  somniare  talem 
sessionem,  quali  isti  viri  sedent. 

Smithus: — Licet  ergo,  Christum  esse  prsesentem  hie  in 
terris,  quum  voluerit? 

Ridlceus: — Licet,  quum  voluerit. 

Smithus: — Non  pugnat  ergo  ascensio  ejus  in  ccelos  cum 
corporis  ejus  reali  praesentia  in  eucharistia. 

Ridlceus: — Permitto  illi  licere,  ubi  voluerit,  in  terris  ap- 
parere.  Proba  velle. 

Smithus : — Pendet  itaque  responsio  tua  ex  voluntate  Christi. 
Congrediar  igitur  rursus  brevi  argumento  :  Christus  post  suam 

1  Parker  MS. — cum. 

a  Parker  MS.— After  this  speech  of  Ridley's  comes  the  following  one 
of  Smith : 

(3)  Christus  perpetuo  sedet  ad  dextram  patris,  et  tamen  quoque  in 
terris  ab  ascensione  sua  visus  est :  ergo. 

Then  comes  Ridley's  answer,  see  p.  457.  (4). 


APPENDIX    I. 


453 


ascensionem,  licet  perpetuo  maneat,  illis  visus  est  in  terra 
realiter  et  corporaliter.  Ergo  non  obstante  ascensione  et 
perpetua  sessione  ad  dexteram  Patris,  potest  esse  realiter 
et  corporaliter  in  eucharistia. 

Ridlceus: — Si  exciperem  argumentum,  quemadmodum  tu 
protulisti,  fortasse  te  ejus  pudebit  postea. 

Smithus: — Christus  post  suam  ascensionem,  ut  supra. 

Ridlceus : — Concede  antecedens,  nego  consequens. 

Smithus : — Concedis  antecedens  ? 

Ridlceus: — Concede  antecedens.  Largior  hoc  tibi,  quia 
scio  quosdam  patres  fuisse  in  hac  opinione.  Dabo  tibi  usum 
hujus  propositionis.  Et  ego  formabo  argumentum:  visus  est 
in  terris  post  perpetuam  sessionem  in  coelis.  Ergo,  etc. 

Smithus: — Imo  ego  formabo.  Christus  post  ascensionem 
licet  jugiter  maneat  in  coelis,  visus  est  in  terra  realiter  et 
corporaliter.  Ergo  non  obstante  ascensione  et  perpetua 
permansione  ad  dexteram  Patris,  potest  esse  realiter  et  cor 
poraliter  in  terris. 

Ridlceus: — Conveniat  primum  de  perpetua  sessione  ad 
dexteram  Patris. 

Smithus: — An  sic  sedet  ad  dexteram  Patris,  ut  non 
deserat  eum  unquam? 

Ridlceus: — Non  alligo  ita  Christum  in  ccelo.  Video  te 
fallere  per  sequivoca:  multiplex  est  distinguendum.  Si  intel- 
ligas  sedere  in  coelo,  regnare  cum  Patre,  potest  simul  hi 
ccelo  esse  et  in  terris.  Sed  si  sedere  intelligas  juxta  cor- 
poris  modum,  in  coelo  semper  manet.  Nam  ut  corporaliter 
maneat  in  terris,  cum  corporaliter  sit  in  coelo,  repugnat 
sacris  Scripturis.  Ut  Augustinus:  Corpus  Christi  est  in  coelo, 
sed  veritas  ejus  ubique  diffusa  est.  Jam  si  perpetuo  maneat 
in  coelo  secundum  corporalem  prsesentiam,  ea  permansio  im- 
pedit  prsesentiam  corporalem  in  eucharistia. 

Smithus: — Actorum  tertio  docetur,  quod  sessurus  sit 
Christus  perpetuo  ad  dexteram  Dei  usque  ad  consummatio- 
nem  mundi. 

Vuesto/ms : — Video  hoc  inter  vos  controverti,  utrum  cor 
pus  Christi  possit  esse  simul  in  terris  et  in  coelo.  Ego 
docebo,  Christum  secundum  veritatem  esse  et  in  terris  et 
in  coelo  simul  et  semel,  unuin  et  eundem  naturalem  et  se 
cundum  veritatem  et  substantial!!  veri  corporis. 


454 


APPENDIX     I. 


Ridlceus : — Nego  antecedens. 

Vuestonus: — Probo  e  duobus  testibus,  Chrysostomo  Ho- 
milia  xvii.  ad  Hebrseos :  "  nonne  per  singulos  dies  offeri- 
mus?  Offerimus  quidem,  sed  recordationem  facientes  mortis 
ejus :  et  una  est  haac  hostia,  non  multse :  et  quomodo  una,  et 
non  multse,  quae  semel  oblata  est  in  sancto  sanctorum?  Hoc 
autem  sacrificium  exemplum  est  illius ;  idipsum  semper  offeri- 
mus,  nee  nunc  quidem  alium  agnum,  crastina  alium,  sed 
semper  eundem  ipsum.  Proinde  unum  est  hoc  sacrificium 
hac  ratione :  alioqui,  quoniam  in  multis  locis  offertur,  multi 
Christi  sunt?  nequaquam,  sed  unus  ubique  est  Christus :  et 
hie  plenus  existens,  et  illic  plenus,  unum  corpus."  Audi,  idip 
sum  semper  offerimus,  unus  ubique  Christus,  et  hie  plenus, 
et  illic  plenus :  ergo  ex  Chrysostomo,  unum  est  corpus  simul 
in  coelo  et  in  terra. 

Ridlwus: — Memini  loci  satis  bene.  Ista  non  militant 
contra  me. 

Vuestonus: — Unus  ubique  est  Christus,  hie  plenus,  et 
illic  plenus. 

Ridlceus: — Unus  Christus  ubique,  sed  non  unum  corpus. 

Vuestonus: — Unum  corpus,  inquit  Chrysostomus. 

Ridlceus : — Sed  non  secundum  corporis  substantiam  est 
ubique,  sed  secundum  locum :  nam  hie  et  illic  non  indicant 
locum.  Ut  Augustinus :  Sursum  est  Dominus,  sed  ubique 
est  veritas  Domini. 

Vuestonus : — Non  potes  sic  effugere :  non  dicit,  una  est 
veritas  Christi;  sed  unus  est  Christus  ubique,  et  hie  et  illic. 

Ridlceus : — Una  hostia  ubique,  propter  unitatem  ejus  quern 
hostia  significat,  non  quod  hostiae  sint  esedem. 

Vuestonus: — Ergo  non  est  Christus,  sed  hostia  Christi. 
Sed  Chrysostomus,  Unum  corpus,  et  unus  Christus,  ait,  non 
una  hostia. 

Ridlceus: — Concede  cum  Chrysostomo,  una  est  hostia,  et 
non  multae :  et  una  dicitur  nostra  hostia  ab  unitate  illius 
unicse,  quam  unam  omnes  nostra  repraesentant :  ilia  autem 
unica  fuit  ea,  quae  semel  duntaxat  oblata  est  in  ara  crucis; 
cujus  omnes  nostrse  sunt  sacramentalia  exemplaria.  Et  quod 
dixisti  ex  Chrysostomo,  Christum  in  multis  locis  simul  offerri, 
hie  plenum,  et  illic  plenum :  verum  est,  Christum  quoque 
offerri  simul  multis  in  locis,  sed  in  mysterio  et  sacramenta- 


APPENDIX     I.  455 

liter;  et  plenum  esse  in  omnibus  illis  locis,  non  secundum 
corporalem  carnis  assumptse  substantiam,  sed  secundum  bene- 
dictionem  vivificativam,  quse  datur  piis  in  pane  et  vino,  ut 
Cyrillus  loquitur.  Quod  ad  oblationem  Christi  attinet,  cujus 
meminit  sic  Chrysostomus,  ipsemet  quid  sentiat,  clarissime 
explicat,  per  correctionem  dicens :  "  Idipsum  semper  facimus, 
magis  autem  recordationem  sacrificii  operamur." 

Vuestonus: — Secundus  testis  est  Bernardus  in  sermone 
de  coena  Domini :  Unde  hoc  nobis,  piissime  Jesu,  ut  nos 
vermiculi  reptantes  super  faciem  terrse,  nos  inquam,  qui 
pulvis  et  cinis  sumus,  te  prsesentem  habere  mereamur  prse 
manibus,  prse  oculis,  qui  totus  et  integer  sedes  ad  dexteram 
Patris;  qui  etiam  unius  horse  momento,  ab  ortu  solis  usque 
ad  occasum,  ab  aquilone  usque  ad  austrum,  prsesto  es  unus 
in  multis,  idem  in  diversis  locis? 

Rldlceus: — Ilia  verba  nihil  astipulantur  tibi :  sed  scio 
Bernardum  eo  tempore  fuisse,  ut  mihi  suspectus  esse  de- 
beat  in  ista  materia.  Habet  multa  commoda  dicta,  ut  etiam 
hoc  loco.  Sed  secutus  est  earn  setatem,  quum  perverse  de 
eucharistia  sentiretur:  commode  tamen  eum  interpretabor,  ut 
nihil  pro  te  faciat.  Dicit  habere  nos  Christum  in  mysterio,  in 
sacramento,  in  velamento,  post  habituros  sine  velamento ;  et 
nunc  veritatem  Christi  eandem  ubivis  dicit  esse :  est  et  hie 
et  illic,  est  ubique  veritas  Christi. 

Vuestonus : — Quam  dicis  esse  veritatem  ?  non  dicit  veri 
tatem  Christi,  sed  veritatem  corporis  Christi. 

Rldlceus: — Veritas  corporis  Christi  est  vera  fides  de  cor- 
pore  Christi,  et  secundum  veritatem  est  apud  eos  qui  habent 
veram  fidem  in  Christo  :  hoc  est  qui  vere  credunt  Christum  esse. 

Vuestonus : — Est  idem  in  diversis  locis :  ego  urgeo  in  di 
versis  locis,  et  non  est  satisfactum. 

Smithus : — Christus  visus  est  in  terra  realiter  et  corporali- 
ter  post  ascensionem  et  perpetuam  sessionem  ad  dexteram 
Patris:  ergo  ascensio  et  perpetua  sessio  in  coslis  non  impe- 
diunt  quo  minus  possit  esse  realiter  et  corporaliter  in  sacra 
mento. 

Ridlceus: — Si  per  perpetuam  sessionem  intelligas  resi- 
dentiam  corporis  in  coelo,  implicat  contradict ionem. 

Smithus: — Non  implicant  contradictionem  hsec  duo,  vide 
licet  sedere  perpetuo  ad  dexteram  Patris,  et  realiter  visum 


456  APPENDIX    I. 

esse  in  terris  post  suam  ascensionem  :  primum  dabis  Christum 
esse  in  coelo,  et  sedere  ad  dextram  Patris ;  quia  Actorum  tertio 
dicitur,  Oportet  eum  capere  coelum  usque  in  tempora  resti- 
tutionis  omnium :  et  visus  est  in  terra  Paulo  corporaliter  post 
illius  ascensionem :  ergo  duo  ilia  non  implicant  contradic- 
tionem. 

Ridlceus: — Nihil  impedit,  quin  Christus  possit  esse  in 
coelis  et  in  terris,  si  velit,  et  cum  velit  apparere  his  quibus 
voluerit :  sed  tamen  mihi  nondum  probas  ita  Christum  velle : 
et  quod  usque  ad  judicium  Christus  perpetuo  sit  futurus  in 
ccelo ;  potest  tamen  aliqua  esse  remissio.  Sed  dixi  hanc  esse 
controversiam  inter  doctores  et  patres.  Christum  visum  fuisse 
omnes  fatentur :  sed  num  in  ccelo  an  in  terra  existens,  hoc 
ambigitur. 

Smithus : — Docebo  Christum  voluisse  apparere  in  terris : 
voluit  et  apparuit  in  terris  post  ascensionem  suam  in  coelos : 
ergo  etc. 

Ridlwus: — Apparuit,  sed  incertum  quomodo,  utrum  in 
coalo  an  in  aere.  Sic  visus  est  Stephano,  cum  esset  cor 
poraliter  in  coelo.  Nam  secundum  verum  corporis  modum, 
quando  est  in  coelo,  non  est  eodem  tempore  in  terra ;  et 
quando  fuit  in  terris,  non  fuit  eodem  tempore  in  coelo. 

Smithus : — Christus  fuit  eodem  tempore  in  coelo  et  in 
terra :  ergo  erras,  dum  illud  inficiaris. 

Ridlceus : — Non  prorsus  nego  Christum  visum  esse  in 
terris :  de  incertis  incerte  pronuncio. 

SmitJius: — Visus  est  Paulo,  tanquam  abortive,  post  suam 
in  coelos  ascensionem :  ad  Corinthios  decimo  quinto.  Sed 
ista  visio  fuit  corporalis ;  proinde  corporaliter  visus  est  in 
terris  post  suam  ascensionem  in  coelos. 

Ridlceus: — Visus  est  realiter  et  corporaliter:  sed  utrum 
existens  in  coelo  an  in  terra,  incertum  est.  Sed  de  incertis 
incertum  ferendum  est  judicium.  Sed  quando  fuit  in  terra 
corporaliter,  oportet  te  probare,  eum  eodem  tempore  fuisse 
in  coelis. 

Sfnithus: — Quseso  an  ista  visio  possit  probare  resurrec- 
tionem  Christi. 

Ridlceus: — Ego  accipio  hoc  pro  solido  et  valido  argu- 
mento,  ad  probandam  resurrectionem.  Sed  utrum  in  coelo 
an  in  terris  conspectus  sit,  ego  dubito :  nee  magni  refert : 


APPENDIX     T.  457 

perinde  enini  valet  argumentum :  alterutrum  eniin  sufficit, 
sive  in  coelis,  sive  in  terris  conspectus  sit.  Certe  resurrexit: 
non  enim  visus  esset,  nisi  resurrexisset. 

Smithus: — Visus  est  a  Paulo  conversatus  in  terris,  non 
e  coelo,  ut  tu  ais. 

Ridlceus : — Petis  principium ;  suinis  pro  confesso,  quod 
probandum  erat. 

Smithus : — Tergiversaris. 

Ridlceus : — Bona  verba.  Auditores  sunt  eruditi :  intelli- 
gunt  utrumque  nostrum. 

Treshamus : — Ita  visus  est,  ut  audiri  posset :  ergo  erat 
corporaliter  in  terra :  quomodo  alioqui  audiretur  \ 

Ridlceus: — Qui  fecit  ut  Stephanus  conspiceret  se  in  coelo, 
efticere  potuit  ut  a  Paulo  audiretur  e  coelo. 

Stnithus : — Visus  est  Paulo,  ut  caateris :  sed  visibiliter  et 
corporaliter  visus  est  caeteris  in  terris,  ergo  et  Paulo. 

Ridlceus: — Fateor,  visus  est  visibiliter  et  corporaliter; 
sed  nondum  probasti,  visum  esse  in  terris. 

Smithus : — Sic  visus  est  ut  cseteris :  sed  a  caeteris  in  terra 
existens  visus  est,  et  in  terra  visibiliter  apparuit  eis :  ergo 
Paulo  visus  est  in  terra. 

Ridlceus  .• — Quod  Christus  ab  ascensione  visus  sit  ab  ho- 
minibus1  in  terra,  certum  est.  Visus  est  enim  a  Stephano, 
visus  est  etiam,  fateor,  a  Paulo.  Sed  utrum  ipse  ad  terras 
descenderit,  an  in  coelo  constituens  prsebuerit2  se  Paulo  con- 
spicuum,  quum3  Paulus  in  tertium  coelum  raperetur,  scio  esse 
controversum :  et  scriptura,  quod  sciam,  non  diffinit4 :  et  de 
incertis  incertuui  judicium  ierendum  est. 

Smithus: — Habemus  vEgesippum  et  Linum  contra  te,  qui 
testantur,  Christum  post  suam  ascensionem  apparuisse  in  ter 
ris  Petro,  corporaliter:  libro  tertio,  capite  tertio.  Petrus 
victus  precibus  et  fletibus  populi,  rogantis  eum  ut  urbe  egre- 

1  Parker  MS. — homine. 
3  Parker  MS. — praebuit. 

3  Parker  MS.— cum. 

4  Parker  MS.— definit. 

5  (5)  This  speech  is  in  the  following  short  form  in  the  MS. : 

Linus  in  Historia  passionis  Petri  ct  Pauli,  et  JEgesippus  tt-stattiT 
Christum  visum  a  Petro. 

Then  follows  Ridley's  speech,  "  Scio  ita  scviptum,"  &c. 


458  APPENDIX     1. 

deretur  ob  insidias  Herodis,  coepit  solus  proficisci :  ubi  vero 
ad  portam  ventum  est,  videt  Christum  accurrere ;  et  adorans 
eum  dixit,  Domine,  quo  vadis?  dicit  ei  Christus :  Iterum  veni 
crucifigi.  Eandem  historiam  habet  Linus  de  passione  Petri. 
Ambrosius  quoque  in  epistolis  habet,  et  Abdias  Apostolorura 
discipulus,  qui  vidit  Christum  ante  suam  ascensionem  in 
coelos.  Qua  itaque  fronte  audes  asserere  incertum  esse,  quod 
hi  aperte  testantur  factum? 

(6)  Ridlceus: — Scio  ita  scriptum  esse,  et1  ab  Eusebio  in  ec- 

clesiastica  historia.  2Quanquam  non  istorum  tamen  relationes 
pro  canonica  scriptura  habeo,  tametsi  si  aliquando  ab  ascen- 
sione  hie  in  terris  cuipiam  apparuisset,  nihil  nostrse  officit 
sententise.  Neque  enim  nos  compedes  injicimus  Christo,  ut 
quidam  falso  de  nobis  loquuntur,  quin  possit  pro  suo  bene- 
placito  in  terris,  quandocunque  vult,  apparere.  Sed  quod 
simul  et  eodem  temporis  momento  in  coelo  existat  et  in 
terris  secundum  suam3  substantiam  corporalem,  4dicimus  esse 
contra  naturam  suse  humanitatis  et  sui  corporis  verum  mo- 
dum.  Perpetua  autem  sessio  ad  dexteram  Patris  potest 
(fateor)  intelligi  stabilitas  regni  Christi,  et  perpetua  ejusdem 
cum  Patre  in  gloria  coelesti  sequalitas5. 

SmitJim: — Jam  quando  jactatis  vestram  fidem  esse  fidem 
veteris  ecclesise ;  ego  ostendam  non  esse,  sed  pugnare  adversus 
fidem  patrum.  Adferam  Chrysostomum,  Homilia  secunda  ad 
populum  Antiochenum.  "  Tanquam  maximam  hsereditatem, 
Elisseus  melotem  suscepit.  Etenim  vere  maxima  fuit  hse- 
reditas,  omni  auro  preciosior :  et  erat  duplex  Helias  ille :  et 
erat  sursum  Helias,  et  deorsum  Helias :  novi,  quod  justum 
ilium  beatum  putatis,  et  velletis  quisque  esse  ut  ille.  Quid 
igitur,  si  vobis  demonstrarem  quid  aliud,  quod  illo  multo 
magis  omnes  sacris  mysteriis  imbuti  recipimus?  Helias  qui- 
dem  melotem  discipulo  reliquit :  Filius  autem  Dei  ascendens 

1  Parker  MS. — et,  and  the  comma  omitted. 

2  Parker  MS. — Non  tamen  istas  istorias  et  relationes  pro  canonica 
scriptura  accipio,  quanquam  si,  &c. 

3  Parker  MS. — substantiam  suam. 

4  Dicimus humanitatis.    Thus  in  the  MS. — dicimus  esse  contra 

naturam  suam  corporalem,  dicimus  esse  contra  naturam  humanitatis 
suffi. 

s  After  this  come  some  speeches,  see  pp.  482,  483. 


APPENDIX     I.  459 

suam    nobis   carnem   dimisit.      Sed    Helias   quidem   exutus . 
Christus  autem  et  nobis  reliquit,  et  ipsain  habens  ascendit." 

Ridlceus: — Concede  Christum  utrumque  fecisse6  hoc  est,  Hictnum 

.  .  .  phationes 

et  carnem  dum  ascenderet  secum  sumpsisse,  et  hie  quoque  popuiares 

agebantur, 

nobiscum  eandem  rehquisse :  sed  id  quidem  factum  est  longe  etinmecon- 

1  *     jiciebantur 

diveris  modis :  assumpsit  autem7  carnem  suam  secundum  ve-  convidorum 

.  ....     P'austra 

ram  corpons  et  carms  corporalem 8  substantiam :  reliquit  in  plena.* 
mysterio  in  coena  Dominica  fidelibus,  secundum  spiritualem 
communicationem,  et  per  gratiam  percipiendam.  Nee  perci- 
pitur  tantum  in  coena  Dominica,  sed  et  alias  quoque  ex  au- 
ditu  evangelii  et  per  fidem.  Panis  enim  quern  frangimus 
communicatio  corporis  est ;  et  generaliter,  Nisi  manducaveritis 
carnem  Filii  hominis,  et  biberitis  ejus  sanguinem,  non  habe- 
bitis  vitam  in  vobis. 

Smithus: — Chrysostomus,  de  dignitate  sacerdotii,  libro  ter-  (19)9 
tio,  capite  tertio,  ait :  "  0  miraculum,  0  Dei  benevolentiam ! 
qui  sursum  sedet,  tempore  sacrificii  hominum  manibus  con- 
tinetur."  Vel,  ut  alii  verterunt :  "0  miraculum,  O  Dei 
benignitatem !  qui  cum  Patre  sursum  sedet,  in  illo  ipso 
temporis  articulo  omnium  manibus  pertractatur,  ac  seipsum 
tradit  volentibus  ipsum  accipere  et  complecti. 

Ridlceus: — Tenetur  profecto  a  piis,  communicantibus  non      (20) 
solum  sacramentaliter  manu   corporis,   sed10  multo  salubrius 
manu  cordis,  et  haustu  interior!  sumitur  :  at  per  sacramenta- 
lem  significationem  tenetur  ab  omnibus. 

Setonus: — Ubi  est  ergo  miraculum,  si  adest  tantum  per 
gratiam  et  in  mysterio  solum? 

Ridlceus: — Est  miraculum,  oh  Domine.  Christus  non  est 
otiosus  in  sacramentis  suis.  Nonne  est  magnum  miraculum, 
cum  panis,  qui  solet  pascere  corpus,  fit  cibus  animae?  qui 
non  intelligit  miraculum,  non  intelligit  vim  mysterii.  Deus 
det  ut  omnes  agnoscamus  veritatem,  et  ei  pareamus. 

6  Parker  MS.— fecisse  is  omitted. 

Q*  This  note  is  likewise  in  the  MS.  in  a  bracket  at  the  end  of  the 
speech.] 

7  Parker  MS. — enim. 

8  Parker  MS. — corporalis. 

9  (19)  Parker  MS.— Smyth :— Chrysost.  Lib.  iv.  de  dignitate  sacer- 
dotali ;    O  firma  beneficentia !    O  miraculum !    qui  sursum  sedet  ad 
dexteram  Dei  patris,  eadem  hora  omnium  manibus  tenetur. 

10  Parker  MS.— sed  et  multo. 


460 


APPENDIX     f. 


Smithus: — Dicit  Chrysostomus  miraculum,  quod  Christus 
sedeat  ad  dexteram  Dei  in  coelis,  et  eodem  tempore  hominum 
manibus  contineatur :  non  quod  hominum  manibus  pertracte- 
tur  solum  in  mysterio,  et  sit  in  illis  per  gratiam.  Tu  itaqua 
dum  id  negas,  plane  falleris,  ac  a  vero  longe  aberras. 

Harpsfeldus: — Non  est  prsetermittendus  prior  locus 
Chrysostomi :  liceat  hoc  unum  prius  interrogare.  An  non  est 
magnum,  quod  Elias  reliquit  chlamydem  et  donum  prophe- 
tise  discipulo  suo  ? 

Rldlceus : — Est  magnum. 

Harpsfeldus: — Reliquit  igitur  Elias  magnam  gratiam? 

Rldlceus : — Reliquit. 

(21)T  Harpsfeldus: — At   Christus  reliquit   longe   majorem  gra 

tiam,  quam  Elias.     Ille  enim  non  potuit  simul  relinquere  et 
suscipere  chlamydem ;  utrurnque  Christus  fecit  in  carne. 
(22)  Ridlceus: — Concede  lubenter2,  Christum  multo  majora  no- 

bis  reliquisse,  quam  Helias  Helisseo,  licet  dicatur  reliquisse3 
duplicem  suum  spiritum :  quia  virtus  et  gratia  corporis 
Christi,  quam  Christus  ascendens  nobis  reliquit,  unica  est  salus 
et  vita  ominum  servandorum,  quam  reliquit  nobis  Christus 
hie  per  fidem  percipiendam  ex  auditu  verbi  et  ex  legitima 
sacramentorum4  nobis  facta  administratione.  Hanc  virtutem 
et  gratiam  Chrysostomus,  more  Joannis  Evangelistse,  carnem 
Christi  vocat5. 

Harpsfeldus: — Sed  majus  Christus  prsestitit.  Subvexit 
enim,  et  reliquit :  non  intelligis  collationem :  in  hoc  est  col- 
latio,  quod  Helias  reliquit  melotam  et  non  retinuit ;  Christus 
reliquit,  et  retinuit  secum  suam  ipsius  carnem. 

Ridlceus: — Verum  est,  et  hoc  ego  ante  statuebam.  Tu 
quum  multa  videaris  dicere,  nihil  dicis  novi.  Sit  gratia  col- 
lata  gratise,  multo  majorem  gratiam  contulit  Christus,  quum 
nos  insereret  in  carnem  suam. 

1  (21)  Parker  MS. — Harpsfeld: — Christus  majus  quiddam  reliquit, 
quam   Helias  cum  pallium  discipulo  reliquisset:    Helias   autem   cum 
pullio  reliquit  gratiam,  per  quam  Heliseus  postea  pallio  Helise  aquam 
dividebat. 

2  Parker  MS. — libenter. 

3  Parker  MS. — duplicem  reliquisse  for  reliquisse  dupliceiru 

4  Parker  MS. — duorum  sacramentorum. 

5  For  (23),  see  p.  483. 


APPENDIX 


461 


Harpsfeldus : — Si  licet  ingenue  te  interrogare  :  si  voluisset 
Ohrysostomus  hoc  intelligere,  Christum  reliquisse  corpus  suum 
in  eucharistia,  tu  cogita,  quibus  uti  potuit  verbis  apertio- 
ribus  ? 

Ridlceus: — Sunt  ista  non  tarn  vehementia,  quam  grande 
quippiam  prae  se  ferentia.  Potuit  uti  verbis  crassioribus,  si 
voluisset  hoc  ita  crasse  significare ;  erat  enim  eloquens : 
nunc  loquitur  more  aliorum  patrum,  qui  mystice  de  rebus 
mysticis  loquuntur,  et  de  sacramentis  sacramentaliter. 

Harpsfeldus: — Collatio  est  in  eo,  quod  erat  Helise  im- 
possibile,  Christo  autem  est  possibile. 

Ridlceus: — Fateor,  fuit  possibile  Christo,  quod  erat  illi 
impossibile.  Elias  reliquit  chlamydem,  Christus  et  reliquit 
carnem  suam  et  sustulit. 

Harpsfeldus : — Elias  dimisit,  et  non  potuit  tollere :  Christus 
dimisit  et  sustulit.  Nisi  statuis  in  hoc  collationem,  nihil  est. 

Ridlceus: — Tulit  carnem  suam  in  coelum,  et  carnis  suse 
commimionem  reliquit. 

Vuestonus: — Intelligis  carnem  in  primo  loco  pro  vera 
carne,  et  in  secundo  loco  pro  gratia  et  communicatione 
carnis ;  et  cur  non  intelligis  in  secundo  loco  pro  vera  carne  ? 
Ego  palam  faciam,  quam  sit  stupida  et  crassa  responsio  tua. 

Ridlceus : — Hse  sunt  contumelise :  neque,  ut  opinor,  de 
cent  modestiam  hujus  scholse. 

Vuestonus : — Elias  reliquet  chlamydem  discipulis,  sed  Filius 
Dei  ascendens  reliquit  carnem :  sed  Helias  vere  dimisit  chla 
mydem,  Christusque  carnem ;  et  tarnen  ascendens  eandem 
sustulit.  Ex  quibus  verbis  sic  argumentamur :  Christus  car 
nem  reliquit  discipulis,  et  tamen  eandem  secum  sustulit.  Ergo 
nobiscum  praesens  adest.  Hinc  dominus  Doctor  in  hunc 
modum  respondet :  Tulit  carnem  suam  in  coelum,  et  carnis 
suse  communionem  reliquit.  Tndocta  nimis  responsio. 

Ridlwus : — Gaudeo  te  Anglice  loqui :  cupio  enim  universum 
orbem   intelligere,   quse   disputamus.     lleliquit   nobis   carnem 
suam :    hoc  tu  intelligis  de  carne  ipsius,  ego  vero  de  gratia. 
Tulit  ille  carnem  suam,  et  nobis  carnis  reliquit  communionem. 
Vuestonus: — Censores,  quid  judicatis  de  hoc  response? 
Censores: — Ridiculum  et  ineptum. 

Ridlwus: — Lubens  haec  Christi  causa  patior. 
Vuestonus  citat  locum: — "  Spargimur  sanguine  Christi." 


462  APPENDIX     I. 

Ridlceus : — Domine  Doctor,  est  idem  sanguis,  sed  spiritu- 
aliter  exceptus ;  atque  eodem  sanguine  spargebantur  prophetae 
omnes,  sed  spiritualiter  et  per  gratiam.     Et  quicunque  san 
guine  hoc  non  sparguntur,  salutis  participes  esse  non  possunt. 
(15)1  Vuestonus: — Adduco  tibi  Bernardum  :  "Ab  occidente  ad 

orientem,  ab   aquilone   ad   austrum,   unus   in   multis   est,   et 
idem  in  diversis  locis."     Eademque  repetebat  Anglice. 
(16)  Ridlceus: — Facilis  est  responsio,  quod   unus  Christus  sit 

hie2  et  in  diversis  locis:  quippe  Deus  secundum  majestatem, 
secundum  providentiam,  et,  ut  Augustinus  ait,  cum  piis  ubique 
secundum  indivisibilem  et  ineffabilem  gratiam.  Alioqui  si 
secundum  corporalem  prsesentiam  intelligeretur  Bernardus, 
quam  monstrosum  et  giganteum  corpus  faceretis  de  corpore 
Christi,  quod  ab  aquilone  in  austrum,  ab  occasu  in  ortum 
usque  protenderetur3. 

Vuestonus: — Imo  tu  prodigiosam  et  ineruditam  respon- 
sionem. 

Vuardus: — Priusquam  attulero  quse  adferre  destinaveram, 
libet  redire  ad  argumentum  Doctoris,  quo  videbaris  constrictus 
dubitare  de  Christi  prsesentia  in  terris :  ad  earn  rem  nihil 
aliud  allaturus  sum,  quam  quod  in  catechismo  synodi  Lon- 
dinensis,  nuper  abs  te  edito,  decretum  est. 

Ridlceus: — Hoc  primum  scias,  me  nullum  catechismum 
edidisse. 

Vuestonus: — Coegisti  me  subscribere,  quum  esses  purpu- 
ratus  episcopus. 

Ridlceus: — Ego  neminem  coegi  subscribere. 

Vuardus: — Imo  tu  es  auctor  illius  hsereseos. 

Ridlceus: — Ego  nullum  edidi  catechismum. 

Coins: — Nunquam  assentitus  es  his  quae  edita  sunt  te 
probante  ? 

Ridlceus : — Fateor  me  vidisse  librum,  scripsisse  nego : 
recognovi,  et  plurima  annotavi:  consensi  ei  libro,  non  fui 
auctor. 

1  (15)  Parker  MS. —  Vueston: — Bernardus  in  sermone  de  coena  domini 
ait :  gratulare,  sponsa,  gaude  ineffabiliter ;  unus  et  in  multis  locis,  idem 
in  diversis  locis,  Christus  a  solis  ortu  usque  ad  occasum,  ab  aquilone 
ad  austrum  offertur:  ergo  potest  esse  simul  multis  in  locis. 

2  Parker  MS. — ubique  instead  of  hie  et  in  diversis  locis. 
a  For  (17),  see  p.  483. 


APPENDIX    J. 


463 


Censores: — Proponitur  catechismus,  quasi  in  synodo  Lon- 
dinensi  ei  fuisset  consensum.  Cranmerus  aiebat  heri  te  edi- 
disse. 

Ridlceus: — Non  credo  eum  dixisse. 

Vuardus: — Catechismus  sic  habet,  usi  visibiliter  et  in 
terra,"  etc. 

Ridlceus: — Respondeo  articulos  illos  editos  fuisse,  me  et 
cognoscente,  et  consentiente :  id  manus  mea  probavit,  et 
Cranmerus  manum  suam  apposuit,  et  aliis  eos  articulos  ex- 
hibuit.  Locus  autem  ille,  quern  adfers,  potest  commode  ex- 
poni. 

Vuardus: — Christus  est  potentia  Patris,  et  virtus:  ergo 
non  fuit  ea  infirmitate,  ut  non  posset  efficere  quse  volebat. 

Ridlceus : — Concede. 

Vuardus: — Fuit  sapientia  Patris;  ergo  prudenter  locutus 
est,  et  eo  modo  quo  posset  ab  omnibus  intelligi :  neque  aliud 
pro  alio  volebat  loqui. 

Ridlceus: — Hoc  totum. 

Vuardus: — Et  veritas  ipsa  fuit:  ergo  vere  effecit  et  prse- 
stitit,  quod  instituit  facere:  et  eum  neque  fallere,  nee  falli 
potuisse,  nee  fallere  voluisse,  est  verisimile. 

Vuestonus : — Hilarius  in  Psalmum  cxviii.  Vera  omnia  sunt, 
et  neque  otiose,  et  neque  inutiliter  constituta  Dei  verba,  sed 
extra  omnem  ambiguitatem  superfluse  inanitatis,  ignita,  et 
ignita  vehementer,  ne  quid  illic  esse,  quod  non  perfectum  ac 
proprium  sit,  existimetur. 

Vuardus : — Est  veritas  Patris  :  ergo  nee  fallere  nee  falli 
potest;  prsesertim  quum  extrema  loqueretur,  et  testamentum 
conderet. 

Ridlceus : — Christus  est  ipsa  Patris  veritas :  et  video  quor- 
sum  tendas:  at  haec  ambago  verborum;  et  si  recte  intelli- 
gantur,  ea  verba  sunt  verissima,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum. 

Vuardus: — Accepit,  fregit,  dedit,  etc.  quid  accepit? 
Ridlceus: — Panem,  corpus  suum. 

Vuardus : — Quid  fregit  ? 

Ridlceus : — Panem. 

Vuardus:— Quid  dedit? 

Ridlceus : — Panem. 

Vuardus: — Num  dedit  triticeam  et  materialem? 
Ridlceus: — Nescio  an  triticeam,  dedit  veram  et  materialem. 


464 


APPENDIX     I. 


Vuardus : — Contra   ostendo   ex    scripturis,    tradidit   quod 
jussit  eos  accipere :  sed  non  jussit  eos  accipere  panem  ma 
terialem,  sed  corpus  suum.     Ergo  non  dedit  panem  materi- 
alem,  sed  corpus  suum. 

(28)  Ridlceus : — Nego  minorem.     Jussit  enim  accipere  corpus 

suum  sacramentaliter,  in  pane  material!:  et  ita  et1  panis 
erat,  quod  eos  accipere  jussit,  quia  substantia  erat  panis ;  et 
etiam  corpus,  quia  sacramentum  erat  sui  corporis  propter 
sanctificationem  et  accessionem  Spiritus  sancti,  qui  mysteriis 
a  Christo  institutis  et  legitime  administratis  semper  solet 
assistere2. 

Harpsfeldus : — Quis  ita  dicit,  scilicet  per  accessionem 
Spiritus  sancti? 

Ridlceus : — Habeo  Theophylactum  auctorem,  et  eum  affero : 
ut  intelligatis,  earn  phrasim  non  esse  meam.  Vigesimo  sexto 
in  Matth.  "  Porro  dicens,  Hoc  corpus  meum,  ostendit,  quod 
ipsum  corpus  Domini  est  panis,  qui  sanctificatur  in  altario." 

Oglethorpm: — Ille  locus  Theophylacti  aperte  contra  te 
facit :  dicit  enim  eo  loco,  quod  Christus  non  dicit,  Hsec  est 
figura  corporis  mei,  sed  corpus  meum.  Ineffabili  enim  opera- 
tione,  inquit,  transformatur,  etiamsi  nobis  videatur  panis. 

Ridlcem: — Non  est  figura.  Hoc  est,  non  tantum  est 
figura. 

Vuestonus: — Ubi  hoc  "tantum"  est? 

Ridlceus : — Non  eo  in  loco,  sed  alibi  habetur ;  et  Augus- 
tinus  ita  ssepe  loquitur,  et  cseteri  doctores. 

Vuestonus  recitat  ea  verba  Theophylacti  Anglice: — Chris 
tus  non  dicit  figuram  esse,  tuque  figuram  esse  dicis.  Fitque, 
inquit  ille,  conversio  panis  in  carnem  Dominican!. 

Ridlceus: — Concede  panem  converti  in  carnem  Christi,  at 
non  per  transubstantiationem,  sed  per  sacramentalem  con- 
versionem.  Transformatur,  inquit  Theophylactus  ibidem,  per 
mysticam  benedictionem,  et  accessionem  Spiritus  sancti  in 
carnem  Domini :  non  dicit,  per  expulsionem  substantise  panis 
et  substitutionem  corporalis  substantise  carnis  Domini.  Et 
quod  dicit,  Non  est  figura  corporis,  subintelligendum  est 
quod  et  ipse  alibi  addidit :  videlicet,  tantum :  hoc  est,  nori 
nuda  figura  corporis.  Assistit  enim  Christus  suis  mysteriis. 

1  Parker  MS. — this  et  is  omitted. 

2  For  (29),  see  p.  483. 


APPENDIX    f. 


465 


ic  Neque  imquam,"  ut  Cyprianus  ait,  "  divina  majestas  ab- 
sentat  sese  a  divinis  mysteriis,  et  csetera." 

Vuestonus : — Tu  addis  hoc  "  tantum  :"  hocque  unum  est 
mendacium.  Dico  prseterea:  Petrus  Martyr  coactus  est 
hunc  ipsum  negare  auctorem,  cum  tarn  fortiter  locus  hie 
contra  se  faceret.  Sed  observa  diligenter  verba.  Non  dixit, 
"  Haec  est  figura  corporis  mei ;"  sed,  "  Est  corpus  meum." 

Ridlceus: — Si  verba  auctoris,  non  sensum  accipiamus,  id 
vere  est  injuriam  auctori  facere. 

Hardingus : — Nullus  doctorum  omnium  magis  contra  te 
facit.  Verbum  enim  grsece  habet  fteraffrot^etovr^  quod 
latine  habet,  si  vertimus,  transelementatur.  Deinde  rationem 
reddens  cur  panis  forma  maneat,  sic  habet :  Quoniam,  inquit, 
infirmi  sumus,  et  horremus  crudas  carnes  comedere,  maxime 
hominis  carnem,  ideo  panis  quidem  apparet,  sed  caro  est. 

Ridlwus: — Vox  ilia  vim  earn  non  habet,  quam  tu  ei 
attribuis,  Attribuis  enim  nimium :  et  tamen  cum  omnia 
attribueris,  haud  quicquam  in  rem  tuam  facit.  Siquidem  habet 
idem  auctor  alibi  jj/wel?  /uercurToi^cioiMiefla,  id  est,  trans- 
formamur  mutamurque  in  corpus  Christi.  Quod  si  mihi  libeat 
ad  hunc  modum  vim  vocabuli  urgere,  possem  perinde  mihi 
probare,  licere  nos  reipsa  transformari  in  verum  Christi 
corpus. 

Vuardus: — Erudite  doctor,  tu  sic  interpretaris :  Hoc  est 
corpus  meum,  id  est,  figura  corporis  mei. 

Ridlceus : — Etsi  scio  esse  qui  sic  interpretentur,  tamen  ilia 
non  est  plena  interpretatio,  ut  totum  exprimat. 

Vuardus : — "  Oves  mese  vocem  meam  audiunt,  et  sequuntur 
ine."  Sed  omnes  oves  Christi  audiunt  hanc  vocem,  Hoc  est 
corpus  meum,  sine  figura.  Ergo  ea  est  vox  Christi. 

Ridlceus: — Oves  Christi  audiunt  et  sequuntur  vocem 
Christi,  nisi  seducantur  et  ignorantia  decipiantur. 

Vuardus: — At  patres  hunc  locum  non  habuere  pro  tro- 
pica  locutione. 

Ridlceus: — Tmo  omnes  numerant  hunc  sermonem  inter 
tropicos. 

Vuardus: — Justinus  Martyr,  in  Apologia  secunda,  habet 
sic :  Neque  vero  haec  pro  pane  potuve  communi  sumimus : 
imo  quemadmodum  verbo  Dei  Jesus  Christus,  Servator  noster, 
incarnatus  habuit  pro  salute  nostra  carnem  et  sanguinem ; 

30 
[RIDLEY.] 


466  APPENDIX   I. 

ita  per  orationem  illius  verbi  consecratum  hoc  alimentum,  quo 
sanguis  et  carnes  nostrse  per  immutationem  enutriuntur,  ejus- 
dem  incarnati  carnem  et  sanguinem  esse  sumus  edocti. 

Vuestonus: — Hunc  locum  Cranmerus  corrupit,  Anglice  in 
hunc  sensum  vertens :  Panem,  aquam  et  vinum  in  hoc  sa- 
cramento  non  ita  percipi  debere,  quemadmodum  alii  cibi  et 
potus,  quibus  quotidie  utimur;  sed  tanquam  epulse  ad  hoc 
destinatse,  ut  gratise  Deo  agerentur,  atque  nunc  eucharistiam, 
nunc  corpus  et  sanguinem  nominari  Christi.  Neque  fas  esse 
ut  quis  ilia  percipiat,  nisi  qui  Christum  professus  sit,  et  con- 
venienter  profession!  suse  vivat.  Hunc  tamen  cibum  et 
potionem  ille  in  carnem  et  sanguinem  nostrum  converti,  ut 
corpora  nostra  nutrirent,  aim-mat. 

Ridlceus : — 0  bone  doctor,  sincere  agamus  quseso  !  non 
sum  ignarus  hujus  loci,  et  novi  quam  varie  a  variis  acci- 
piatur. 

Vuardus  repetit  locum  Justini:  Edocti  sumus,  etc. 

Ridlceus : — 0  quanta  iniquitas  !  Ego  habeo  locum  descrip- 
tum.  Scis  tu  qui  grsece  nosti,  quomodo  verba  mota  sint 
loco,  nee  satis  justa  de  causa. 

Vuardus  : — Urgeo  argumentum. 

Ridlceus: — Si  vis  ut  ego  respondeam  Justino,  opertet 
audias.  Ego  unam  tantum  habeo  linguam ;  non  possum  re- 
spondere  omnibus. 

Vuardus: — "Desiderio  desideravi  hoc  pascha  manducare 
vobiscum."  Quod  pascha,  rogo,  desideravit  manducare?  Si 
hsereas,  habes  ex  Tertulliano  lib.  quarto  contra  Marcionem : 
"Professus  itaque  se  concupiscentia  concupisse  edere  pascha, 
ut  suum,  (indignum  enim,  ut  alienum  concupisceret  Deus,) 
acceptum  panem,  et  distributum  discipulis,  suum  corpus  illud 
fecit,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  dicendo."  Num  ergo  hoc  paschate 
Judaicum  agnum  intellexit,  an  id  prsestitit  in  coena? 

Ridlceus : — Puto,  quod  sentit  primum  de  paschate  Judaico, 
postea  de  Eucharistia. 

Vuardus: — Imo  contra  Tertullianus  ait,  quod  concupivit 
manducare  pascha  suum  :  sed  pascha  Judaicum  erat  alienum  a 
Christo,  et  non  suum.  Ergo  non  sentit  de  paschate  Judaico. 

Ridlceus : — Pascha  Judaicum  non  erat  alienum  a  Christo. 
sed  suum:  quia  ipse  est  omnium  Dominus,  et  tarn  paschatis 
Judaicse  quam  coense  siue  Dominus. 


APPENDIX 


467 


Vuardus: — Quid  respondes  Tertulliano,  qui  pascha  suum 
dicit  concupisse,  non  utique  Judaicum,  quod  constabat  ex 
verbis  sine  carne  ? 

Ridlcem: — Potest  Tertullianus  in  anagoge  ludere.  Cypri- 
anum  scio  hsec  habere  :  "  Tune  instituit  quidem  eucharistiam  : 
sed  utrumque  erat  Christi." 

Vuardus : — Augustinus  in  psalmum  nonagesimum  octavum, 
in  hsec  verba,  "  Adorate  scabellum  pedum  ejus,"  "  Qusero,"  in- 
quit,  "quid  sit  scabellum  pedum  ejus:  et  dicit  in  scriptura, 
Terra  scabellum  pedum  meorum:  fluctuans  converto  me  ad 
Christum,  quia  ipsum  qusero  hie,  et  invenio,  quomodo  sine 
impietate  adoretur  scabellum  pedum  ejus.  Suscepit  enim  de 
terra  terram:  quia  caro  de  terra  est,  et  de  carne  Marise 
carnem  accepit,  et  quia  in  ipsa  carne  hie  ambulavit,  et  ipsam 
carnem  nobis  manducandam  ad  salutem  dedit:  nemo  autem 
illam  carnem  manducat  nisi  prius  adoraverit :  inventum  est, 
quomodo  tale  scabellum  pedum  Domini  adoretur,  et  non  so- 
lum  non  peccemus  adorando,  sed  peccemus  non  adorando. 
Ipsam  dedit  nobis  carnem  manducandam,  quam  accepit  de 
terra,  qua  hie  ambulavit,  etc."  Sed  nunquam  dedit  ipsam 
carnem  manducandam,  nisi  in  porrigendo,  quum  diceret, 
Hoc  est  corpus  meum.  Ergo  in  Eucharistia  dedit  nobis 
ipsam  carnem. 

Eidlceus: — Si  de  vera  carne  Christi1  loqueris,  secundum  (36) 
substantiam  carnis  assumptse,  et  non  per  gratiam  et  spiritu- 
aliter,  nego  majorem.  Sin  autem  intelligas  de  vera  carne, 
secundum  gratiam  et  spiritualem  communicationem ;  tune 
concede  majorem,  et  nego  minorem.  Dat  enim  nobis2  vere 
carnem  suam  manducandam,  omnibus  in  eum  credentibus. 
Est  enim  verus  cibus  animse,  quo  pascimur3  perpetuo  in 
vitam  aeternam,  juxta  illud  "  Caro  mea  vere  est  cibus,"  etc. 

JSmithus: — Quid  si  Augustinus  dicat  Christum  non  tan- 
turn  in  figura  nobis  sese  dedisse,  sed  ipsam  carnem  suam 
reipsa  seu  realiter? 

Ridlceus: — Ego  nunquam  dixi,  Christum  tantum  figuram 
dedisse  corporis  sui :  reipsa  enim  dedit  reali  communicatione, 
hoc  est,  secundum  communicationem  carnis  carnem  suam. 

1  Parker  MS.— Christi  omitted. 

2  Parker  MS. — vere  nobis  for  nobis  vere. 
5  Parker  MS. — rescimur. 

30—2 


468 


APPENDIX    I. 


Vuestonus  legit  locum  Augustini  Anglice,  postea  sub- 
jecit:  Tu  dicis  Christum  non  corpus  suum,  sed  figuram 
corporis  dedisse. 

Ridlceus: — Non  ita  affirmo.  Dico  dedisse  corpus  suum 
reipsa:  dedit  enim  reali  communicatione,  hoc  est,  secundum 
communicationem  carnis,  carnem  suam. 

(37)  Doctor   Glmnus: — *Post  hsec   argumentari  coepit  Doctor 
Glinnus,  qui  post  contumeliosam  in  me  prsefationem  (quam, 
fateor,  eo  molestius  tuli,  quod  habitus  est  mihi  semper  pro 
veterano  amico :    sed  quia  scense,  credo,  inservire  voluit,  et 
postea2  ad  sedes  in  quibus  custodiebar  accedens  petiit  a  me 
suorum  dictorum  veniam  coram  Yongo3,  Oglethorpo,  et  altero  : 
ego4  vero  ex  animo  illi  remitto,  optoque  claram  in  Domino 
evangelicse   sinceritatis   cognitionem,  et   precor   ut  aliquando 
remissis  non  illi  modo.  sed  et  reliquis  omnibus,  omnibus  of- 
fensis,  plene  reconciliati  conveniamus  in  domo  Patris  coelestis. 
Sed5  ad  argumentum,  quod  in  hunc  formavit  modum :)   Ag- 
novit    ecclesia  verum6   Christ!    corpus   in   sacramento :    ergo 
ibi  est  verum  Christi  corpus.     Antecedens  patet  ex  Augus- 
tino,  contra  Faustum  hsereticum. 

(38)  Ridlceus: — Quomodo    ecclesia    Christi,    quse    est    sponsa 
Christi,  edocta  a  Spiritu  sancto  et  per  regulam  verbi7,  ag- 
novit8   verum    corpus    Christi    in    coena    Dominica;    et    ego 
lubenter  agnosco.     Agnoscit  autem  ecclesia  prsesentiam  cor 
poris  in  coena  Domini   piis   per   gratiam  et  spiritualiter,   ut 
ssepe  jam   dixi,  et   per   sacramentalem  significationem9,  non 
autem  per  corporalem  prsesentiam  corporis  carnis  Christi. 

Glinnus: — Augustinus  contra  Faustum  libro  vicesimo, 
capite  decimo  tertio :  "  Nonnulli  propter  panem  et  calicem 

1  Parker  MS. — Post qui,  omitted  in  the  MS.,  which  runs  thus, 

"Glinnus  post  contumeliosam  prsefationem  cujam,  quam  fateor,  &c." 

2  Parker  MS. — inserts  cum,  and  writes  venisset,  where  the  transcript 
has  accedens. 

3  Parker  MS. — Yongo  opinor  et  Oglethorpo. 

4  Parker  MS. — Ego  illi  ex  animo  remitto  et  opto,  &c. 

5  Parker  MS. — Sed  argumentum  ita  formavit. 
«  Parker  MS.— Christi  omitted. 

7  Parker  MS.— inserts  Christi. 

*  Parker  MS. — agnoscere  [[probably  a  mistake  in  writing.] 

3  Parker  MS. — inserts  communicari  omnibus. 


APPENDIX   I.  460 

Cererem  et  Bat  chum  nos  colere  existimabant."  Ex  hoc  loco 
ego  colligo,  adorationem  eucharistise  fuisse  apud  veteres;  et 
Erasmus  ad  fratres  in  inferior!  Germania  ait,  adorationem 
eucharistise  fuisse  ante  Augustinum  et  Cyprianum. 

Ridlceus: — Signa  ipsa  venerabiliter  tractamus:  sed  sym- 
bolum  pro  symbolo  veneramur,  non  pro  reipsa. 

Glinnus: — Quid  est  symbolurn? 

Ridlceus : — Panis. 

Glinnus: — Ergo  adoramus  panem. 

Ridlceus: — In  verbo  'adorare1  est  fallacia.  Adoramus 
symbola  hsec,  quum  venerabiliter  ea  tractamus :  adoramus 
Christum,  ubicunque  Christi  intelligimus  beneficia:  maximum 
autem  Christi  beneficium  intelligimus  in  sacramento. 

Glinnus: — Ita  possum  coram  scamno  procumbere,  et  ado- 
rare  Christum :  et  si  quis  roget,  quid  again  ?  possum  respon- 
dere,  me  Christum  adorare. 

Ridlceus : — Adoramus  Christum  ipsum  in  Eucharistia  ;  et 
si  intelligas  symbolum,  id  quoque  dico  tanquam  symbolum 
adorandum. 

Glinnus: — Hsec  est  fides  primitive  ecclesise. 

Ridlceus: — Utinam  sequeremur  fidem  illius  ecclesise. 

Glinnus: — Putasne  nunc  Christum  habere  ecclesiam? 

Ridlceus : — Puto. 

Glinnus: — At  omnis  ecclesia  adorat  Christum  vere  et 
realiter  in  sacramento. 

Ridlceus: — Tu  nosti,  quod  orientalis  ecclesia  noluerit  ag- 
noscere  transubstantiationem,  ut  patet  in  concilio  Florentine. 

Colus : — Hoc  falsum  est :  nam  in  eodem  concilio  agno- 
verunt  transubstantiationem,  licet  de  ea  tractare  noluerunt, 
eo  quod  [non]  haberent  in  commissione. 

Ridlceus : — At  nihil  de  ea  volebant  decernere,  cum  pro- 
poneretur  ille  articulus. 

Colus: — Non  quia  non  agnoverunt,  sed  quod  non  habe- 
bant  in  commissione. 

Curtoppus: — Reverende  vir,  docebo,  quod  vere  ac  realiter      (39)1' 
corpus  Christi  sit  in  Eucharistia.     Cumque  ea  de  re  sancti 

10  (39)  Curtop: — Chrysostomus ;  Quod  est  in  calice,  id  est  quod 
fluxit  de  latere  Christi;  sed  verus  sanguis  corporaliter  fluxit  de  latere 
Christi:  ergo  verus  et  naturalis  sanguis  corporaliter  est  in  sacramento 
altaris. 


470  APPENDIX   I. 

patres  et  occidentalis  et  orientalis  ecclesise  tarn  multa  et 
manifesta  scripserint,  ego  tamen  unum  adferam  in  medium 
Chrysostomum ;  est  locus  illius  in  decimum  caput  primse  ad 
Corinthios,  Homilia  vicesimaquarta :  Quod  est  in  calice,  id 
est  quod  effluxit  de  latere  Christi.  Sed  verus  sanguis  et 
genuinus  fluxit  de  latere  Christi :  ergo  genuinus  et  verus 
sanguis  est  in  calice. 

(40)  Ridlceus: — Quemadmodum  panis  sacramentalis  et  eucha- 

risticus  dicitur  corpus  Christi1  pro  nobis  traditum;  ita2  po- 
culum  Domini  est  sanguis  qui  fluxit3  de  latere  Christi.  Sed 
panis  ille  sacramentalis  dicitur  corpus4,  quia  est  ejus  corporis5 
sacramentum:  6item  et  calix  sanguis  dicitur  qui  fluxit  de 
latere  Christi,  quia  est  ejus  sanguinis  de  latere  effluentis  sa 
cramentum,  ab  ipso  Domino  ordinatum  in  nostrum  singulare 
commodum,  hoc  est,  ad  alitionem  nostram  spiritualem:  sicut 
est  baptismus  in  aqua,  ad  spiritualem  regenerationem7. 

Curtoppus: — Sacramentum  sanguinis  non  est  sanguis. 

Ridlceus : — Sacramentum  sanguinis  est  sanguis  :  et  tribu- 
itur  id  sacramento,  quod  est  rei  sacramenti. 

Vuestonus  repetit  argumentum  Curtoppi  Anglice.  Quod 
est  in  calice,  id  est  quod  defluxit  e  latere  Christi.  Sed  verus 
sanguis  et  genuinus  fluxit  e  latere  Christi :  ergo  genuinus  et 
verus  sanguis  est  in  calice. 

Ridlceus: — Verus  sanguis  Christi  vere  est  in  calice,  non 
reali  tamen  ipsius  prsesentia,  sed  gratia,  juxtaque  sacramenti 
modum. 

Vuestonus : — Bene  quidem  habet :  tandem  ergo  sanguinem 
reperimus  in  calice,  verum  quidem  ipsum,  sed  per  gratiam 
et  sacramenti  modum.  Hicque  doctor es  circumstantes  exsibi- 
lare  incipiunt. 

1  Parker  MS. — quod  pro  nobis  est  traditum. 
3  Parker  MS. — inserts  sane. 

3  Parker  MS.— fluxerat. 

4  Parker  MS. — inserts  Christi  domini  pro  nobis  traditum. 

5  Parker  MS. — inserts  pro  nobis  traditi. 

6  Parker  MS. — From  item  to  sacramentum  stands  thus :  ita  dicitur 
calix,  vel  id  quod  est  in  calice,  sanguis  pro  noLis  fusus,  vel  id  quod 
fluxit  de  latere  Christi,   quia  est  ejus  sanguinis  de  latere  effluentis 
sacramentum. 

7  For  (41),  seep.  484. 


APPENDIX   I.  471 

Ridlceus: — 0  viri  quseso  gravissimi,  istud  modo  quod 
facitis,  non  pro  judicio,  sed  prsejudicio  accipiam. 

Vuatsonus: — Gravissime  vir,  statui  hoc  tempore  rationem 
habere  temporis,  et  abstinere  ab  omnibus,  quse  possent  re- 
morari  congressum  nostrum :  idcirco  primum  peto,  cum  diceret 
Christus,  sexto  Johannis,  "  Qui  manducat  carnem  meam,"  etc. 
significatne  iis  verbis  manducationem  suse  carnis  verse  et 
naturalis,  an  panis  et  symbol!  ? 

Ridlwus: — Intelligo  eum  locum  de  vere  Christi  carne, 
sed  spiritualiter  manducata;  et  dico,  sacramentum  etiam 
pertinere  ad  spiritualem  manducationem.  Nam  sacramentum 
comedere  sine  spiritu,  est  inutiliter  comedere.  Qui  enim  non 
spiritualiter  manducat,  judicium  sibi  manducat. 

Vuatsonus: — Qusero  an  sit  eucharistia  sacramentum? 

Ridlcvus: — Eucharistia  accepta  pro  symbolo  est  sacra 
mentum. 

Vuatsonus: — Est  a  Deo  institutum? 

Ridlwus : — Est  institutum  a  Deo. 

Vuatsonus : — Ubi  I 

Ridlceus: — In  cosna. 

Vuatsonus: — Quibus  verbis  fit  sacramentum? 

Ridlwus: — Verbis  et  factis,  quse  Christus  dixit  et  fecit, 
et  jussit  nos  dicere  et  facere. 

Vuatsonus: — Eeceptum  est,  sacramenta  novae  legis  con- 
ferre  gratiam  digne  sumentibus. 

Ridlceus: — Verum  est  gratiam  conferri  per  sacramentum, 
sed  tanquam  per  instrumentum.  Vis  interna  et  Christus 
conferunt  gratiam  per  sacramentum. 

Vuatsonus: — Quid  est  sacramentum? 

Ridlceus: — Memini  multas  esse  sacramenti  definitiones 
apud  Augustinum;  sed  ego  utar  ea,  quae  videtur  ad  rem 
facere  maxime:  sacramentum  est  signum  visibile  invisibilis 
gratise. 

Vuatsonus: — Ergo  sumentibus  confertur  gratia. 

Ridlceus: — Societas  per  Spiritum  sanctum  cum  Christo 
est  gratia,  et  per  sacramentum  fimus  membra  corporis  Christi 
mystici,  quia  per  sacramentum  pars  corporis  inseritur  capiti. 

Vmtsonus : — Est  alia  ratio  corporis  mystici  et  naturalis. 

Ridlceus: — Alia,  fateor,  est  ratio,  sed  caput  utriusque  est 
idem. 


472 


APPENDIX   I. 


Vuatsonus: — Si  substantia  panis  et  vim  manet,  societas 
ilia  promittitur  suraentibus  panem  et  vinum:  sed  promissio 
facta  est  carni  et  sanguini,  Johannis  vi.  "  Qui  manducat,"  etc. 

Ridlceus: — Promissio  quidem  facta  est  carni  et  sanguini, 
sed  ea  recipiuntur  in  sacramento  per  fidem. 

Vuatsonus : — Omne  sacramentum  habet  gratiam  promissam 
sibi.  Sed  panis  et  vinum  non  habent  gratiam  promissam. 
Ergo  panis  et  vinum  non  sunt  sacramenta. 

Ridlceus: — Verum  est,  omne  sacramentum  habet  gratiam 
annexam  instrumentaliter.  Sed  varius  est  intellectus  hujus 
vocis  "  Habet :"  sacramentum  enim  non  habet  inclusam  gratiam, 
sed  bene  utentibus  cedit  in  gratiam.  Sic  aqua  in  baptismo 
habet  promissam  gratiam,  et  per  earn  Spiritus  infunditur : 
non  quod  in  aqua  inclusa  sit  gratia,  sed  quod  per  aquam 
confertur  gratia. 

Vuatsonus: — Hsec  promissio  facta  est  carni  et  sanguini 
Christi,  et  non  pani  et  vino.  Ergo  sacramentum  non  est 
panis  et  vinum,  sed  corpus  et  sanguis  Christi. 

Ridlceus: — Accipienti  panem  communem,  et  vinum  com 
mune,  nulla  est  facta  promissio;  sed  recipient!  sanctum 
panem,  et  panem  communionis,  magna  facta  est  promissio 
gratise :  nee  promissio  data  est  symbolis,  sed  rei  sacramenti. 
Res  autem  sacramenti  est  caro  et  sanguis. 

Vuatsonus: — Omne  sacramentum  novi  testamenti  dat 
gratiam  promissam  a  Deo  digne  recipientibus. 

Ridlceus: — Hoc  sacramentum  habet  promissionem  gratise 
digne  recipientibus,  quod  per  illud  tanquam  per  instrumentum 
datur  gratia  :  non  quod  Christus  transfundit  gratiam  in  panem 
et  vinum. 

Vuatsonus: — Sed  hsec  promissio,  quse  facta  est,  non  est 
nisi  digne  recipientibus  carnem  et  sanguinem,  non  panem  et 
vinum. 

Ridlceus : — Ilia  propositio  habet  multiplicem  intellectum  : 
tanquam  panem  communem,  ut  dixi,  sumentibus  nulla  facta 
est  promissio;  digrie  autem  sumentibus  panem  sanctum  pro 
missio  facta  est  gratise:  sicut  etiam  Origenes  dicit. 

Vuatsonus: — Ubi  ea  facta  est  promissio? 

Ridlceus: — "Panis  quern  frangimus,  nonne  communicatio 
corporis  Christi  est?"  et  "unus  panis,  unum  corpus  Christi 
multi  sumus." 


APPENDIX 


4-73 


Vuatsonus: — Quid  ibi  per  panem  intelligit? 
Ridlceus: — Panem  mensse  Dominicse,  communionem  cor- 
poris  Christi. 

Vuatsonus: — Audi  Chrysostomum  sub  eum  locum :  "  Panis 
quern  frangimus,  nonne  communicatio  corporis  Christi  est? 
Quare  non  dixit  'participation  quia  amplius  quid  significare 
voluit,  et  multam  inter  hsec  convenientiam  ostenderet.  Non 
enim  participatione  tantum  et  acceptione,  sed  unitate  com- 
municamus.  Quemadmodum  enim  corpus  illud  unitum  est 
Christo,  ita  et  nos  per  hunc  panem  unione  conjungimur." 

Ridlceus: — Habeat  Chrysostomus  suos  loquendi  modos. 
Si  vera  dicat,  non  rejicio.  Sed  sit  mihi  liberum  panem 
verum  dicere. 

Vuatsonus : — "  Omnes,"  inquit  Chrysostomus,  "  qui  in  una 
accumbunt  mensa,  de  uno  vero  corpore  communicant :  quid 
appello,  inquit,  communicationem  ?  idem  ipsum  corpus  sumus. 
Quidnam  significat  panis?  corpus  Christi.  Quid  autem  sunt 
qui  accipiunt  ?  corpus  Christi.  Non  multi  sunt  unum  corpus." 
Chrysostomus  interpretatur  hunc  locum  contra  te.  Omnes 
unus  panis  et  unum  corpus  mysticum  sumus,  qui  uno  pane 
Christi  participamus. 

Ridlceus: — Omnes  quidem  unum  mysticum  corpus  sumus, 
qui  de  uno  Christo  communicamus  in  pane,  secundum  vivi- 
ficationis  efficientiam. 

Vuatsonus: — De  quo  pane  loquitur? 
Ridlceus: — De  pane  mensse  Dominicae. 
Vuatsonus: — Estne  panis  ille  unus? 

Ridlceus: — Est  unus  unius  ecclesise,  quia  proponebatur  in 
mensa  unus :  ita  de  uno  pane  participant  omnes,  qui  in  mensa 
Domini  communicant. 

Vuatsonus : — Vide  quam  absurde  loqueris  !  Omnesne  qui 
a  principio  mundi  usque  ad  finem? 

Ridlceus: — Omnes  .qui   in   eadem   mensa   simul  mysteria      (52) 
communicabant,    bene    poterant.     Quanquam    et    unus    est1 
panis  etiam  coelestis,  cujus  hie  panis  sacramentalis  est  mys- 
terium,  quern  sane  eundem  omnes2  participamus. 

Vuatsonus: — Perversa  responsio.  Qui  omnes?  Nunquid 
omnes  homines  Christiani? 

1  Parker  MS.— omits  est. 

2  Parker  MS. — inserts  npiritualiter. 


4/4  APPENDIX   I. 

Ridlceus: — Distribuo  vocem  "  omnes  :"  quia  solebant  omnes 
de  uno  pane  in  partes  diviso  communicare,  omnes  qui  erant 
in  uno  coetu,  omnesque  qui  in  una  mensa  communicabant. 

Vuatsonus: — Omnes  ergo  qui  non  communicabant,  cum 
adessent,  excludis  a  corpore  Christi? 

FeJcnamus: — At  Cyprianus  ait,  "  Panis  quern  nulla  multi- 
tudo  consumit :"  quod  intelligi  non  potest,  nisi  de  corpore 
Christi. 

Eidlcem: — Et  agebat  eo  loco  Cyprianus  de  vero  Christi 
corpore,  non  de  pane  materiali. 

Feknamus: — Imo  agebat  potius  de  sacramento,  in  trac- 
tatione  nimirum  de  ccena  Domini. 

Ridlceus: — Verum  est,  et  fateor,  agebat  de  sacramento. 
Sed  de  spiritual!  manducatione  aliquid  aspersit  etiam. 

Smithm: — Cum  Dominus  dicit,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum, 
non  utitur  tropico  sermone :  ergo  falleris. 

Ridlceus : — Nego  antecedens. 

Smithus: — Adduco  Augustinum  super  Psalmum  tricesi- 
mum  tertium,  concione  prima,  interpretantem  ea  verba,  "  Fere- 
batur  in  manibus  suis :"  primo  Regum.  "  Hoc  quomodo  possit 
fieri  in  homine,  quis  intelligat?  Manibus  enim  suis  nemo 
portatur,  sed  alienis.  Quomodo  intelligatur  de  Davide  se- 
cundum  literam,  non  invenimus.  De  Christo  autem  invenimus  : 
ferebatur  enim  Christus  in  manibus  suis  quum  diceret,  Hoc 
est  corpus  meum :  ferebat  enim  illud  corpus  in  manibus  suis." 
Non  videbat  Augustinus,  quomodo  hie  locus  ad  literam  in- 
telligeretur  de  Davide,  quia  nemo  seipsum  poterit  portare 
in  manibus  suis.  Ergo  dicit  locum  intelligendum  de  Christo 
ad  literam.  Nam  Christus  portabat  se  manibus  suis,  quum 
in  coena  traderet  sacramentum  discipulis,  dicens,  Hoc  est 
corpus  meum. 
(54)  Ridlceus: — Quamvis2  sciam  ilium  locum3  scriptures  aliter 

1  (53)  This  speech  stands  thus  in  the  Parker  MS. 

Smyth : — Augustinus  scribit  de  David  quod  ferebatur  in  manibus  suis  ; 
at  de  David  ad  literam  non  invenitur  quod  ferebat  sese  in  manibus  suis ; 
sed  hoc  in  ultima  coena  factum  est,  quando  tradebat  corpus  suum  dis 
cipulis  suis  in  sacramento  altaris:  ergo  in  sacramento  altaris  est  verum 
corpus  Christi. 

2  Parker  MS. — Quanquam. 

3  Parker  MS. — locum  ilium  for  ilium  locum,  and  below  meae  sen- 
tentiae  for  sentential  mese. 


APPENDIX    I. 


475 


ab  aliis  legi  secundum  veritatem  Hsebraicam,  et  aliter  ex- 
poni;  tamen  detur  tibi  expositio  Augustini,  et  dico,  quod 
sententise  mete  nihil  adversatur.  Nam  Ghristus  ferebat 
sese  in  manibus  suis,  dum  sacramentum  corporis  sui  traderet 
discipulis  suis  comedendum. 

Smithus: — Ergo  verum  est  de  Christo  ad  literam,  quod      (55)4 
ferebatur  manibus  suis? 

Ridlceus: — Concede  dictum  esse5  ab  Augustino  quod  de 
Davide  non  invenitur  ad  literam,  quod  ferebat  sese  in  manibus 
suis,  et6  quod  de  Christo  invenitur.  Sed  verbum  illud  ad 
literam,  non  recte  refers  ad  id  quod  portabatur7.  Debet 
enim  ad  eum  qui  portabat  referri.  Sentit  enim  Augustinus, 
quod  nusquam  legatur  in  sacris  literis,  quod  carnalis  ipse 
David  films  Jessse  portabat  sese  in  manibus  suis ;  sed  de 
Davide  spirituali,  8qui  Goliath  diabolum  prostravit :  hoc  est, 
de  Christo  Servatore,  Virginis  filio,  ad  literam9  bene  invenitur, 
quod  ipse  portabat  sese  in  manibus  suis,  quodam  videlicet 
modo,  nimirum10  dum  ferebat  sui  ipsius  sacramentum:  et 
verbum  '  quodam  modo'  habet  ipse  Augustinus,  ut  quid  sen- 
tiret,  palam  omnibus  manifestaret. 

Smithus: — Quilibet  potest  ferre  figuram  corporis  sui  in 
manibus  suis :  sed  Augustinus  negat  Davidem  se  potuisse 
ferre  in  manibus  suis:  proinde  non  loquitur  de  figura  cor 
poris. 

Ridlceus : — Si  Augustinus  invenisset  in  sacris  literis,  ubi 
David  portavit  sacramentum  sui  corporis ;  tune  nunquam  usus 
fuisset  expositione  hujusmodi  de  Christo. 

4  (55)  The  speech  corresponding  to  this  stands  thus  in  the  Parker 
MS. 

Smyth : — Dicit  Augustinus,  ad  literam  non  inventum  de  Davide,  et  de 
Christo  invenitur  [si  de  Christo  invenitur],  sed  non  invenitur  nisi  quando 
instituit  sacramentum  altaris  in  ultima  coena,  ergo  Christus  ad  literam 
et  secundum  figuram  non  ferebat  sese  [probably,  for  non  secundum  figu 
ram,]  et  ita  secundum  sinceritatem  et  non  secundum  figuram  Christi 
corpus  est  in  sacramento  altaris. 

5  Parker  MS.— esse  omitted.  6  Parker  MS.— at. 

7  Parker  MS.— portatur. 

8  There  is  a  blank  in  the  Parker  MS.  where  this  clause  "qui 

prostravit"  should  come  in. 

9  Parker  MS.— omits  ad  literam. 

10  Parker  MS.— nimirum sacramentum    stands    thus,    nirnirum 

divini  sui  ipsius  sacramenti. 


476 


APPENDIX   I. 


Smithus : — Sed  ferebat  seipsum  manibus  suis  :  ergo  non 
solum  figuram. 

Ridlceus : — Ferebat  quidem  seipsum,  sed  in  sacramento  ; 
et  Augustinus  postremo  addit  "  quodammodo,"  id  est,  sacra- 
mentaliter. 

Smithus: — Tu  non  intelligis,  quid  Augustinus  senserit, 
quum  dicit  "  quodammodo."  Sensit  enim,  se  portasse  in  coena 
ilia  suum  verum  corpus,  non  in  figura  et  forma  corporis,  sed 
sub  specie  panis.  Ergo  hie  teneris  medius,  nee  possis  te 
extricare  ex  hoc  labyrintho. 

(57)  TresJiamus: — Hie  eosorsus  est  dicer e,  magno,  ut  mdebatur, 
zelo   commotus:    et  pro   Paphnutio  sese   a   me  Jiaberi  postu- 
lavit,    atque    ut    ad    matrem    ecclesiam    redirem    vehementer 
orabat.     Ego  sane1  initio,  quiaz  Jiominem  non  cognovi,  arbi- 
trabar  fuisse*  seniculum  qui   Jiaberet   zelum    Dei,   licet   non 
secundum  scientiam:  et  illi  cum  omni  mansuetudine  et  reve- 
rentia  respondere  coepi :  sed  visus  sum  mihi  postea  sentire,  sub 
ovina  pelle    delitescere    vulpinam   calliditatem.     Argumentum 
ejus,  quod  magno  molimine  tandem  in  medium  protulet,  hoc 
erat:    Concilium,  inquit,  Lateranense,  quod  universalem3  re- 
prsesentabat  ecclesiam,  in  quo  concilio  congregati  erant  epis- 
copi  numero4  300,  metropolitani  70,  et  reliquorum  ingens  mul 
titude,  decrevit,  quod  panis  et  vinum  virtute  verbi  divini  tran- 
substantiatur  in  corpus  et  sanguinem  Domini.    Ergo  quicunque 
contradixerit,  non  potest  esse  films  ecclesise,  sed  hsereticus. 

(58)  Bidlceus: — Observande    domine,    audivi    quse    citasti5    ex 
Lateranensi  concilio,  et  memini  fuisse  episcoporum  et  metro- 
politanorum,    uti    dixisti,    magnam    multitudinem :     sed    non 
ostendisti,  quot  fuerunt  in6  eo  concilio   fratres  priores   con- 
ventuales:  fuerunt  enim  800.     Tune  quidam  ex  scribis:  Quid, 
inquit  ille  mihi6,  visne6  tu  negare  auctoritatem  concilii  illius, 
propter  multitudinem  illorum  priorum?    Nequaquam,  inquam 
ego,  adeo  ob  earn  causam,  quam  quod  doctrina  illius  concilii 
non  congruit  cum  verbo  Dei :   id  quod  ex  actis  illius  concilii 

1  Parker  MS.— in. 

2  Parker  MS. — omits  quia  and  fuisse. 

3  Parker  MS. — universam. 

4  Parker  MS. — omits  numero. 
8  Parker  MS.— citavisti. 

6  Parker  MS. — omits  in  eo,  mihi,  ne,  and  the  clause  between  {_  ]. 


APPENDIX 


477 


constat,  quod  habitum  est  sub  Innocentio  III.  viro,  si  histo- 
riis  credendum  est,  ecclesiae  Christ!  et  christianse  reipublicse 
nocentissimo.  Hie  quidam  clamabant7,  Scribite,  scribite;  et 
ego  vicissim  succinebam,  Scribite  et  rescribite. 

Treshamus:  —  Manducant  mali  verum  et  naturale  corpus 
Christi  :  ergo  verum  et  naturale  corpus  Christi  est  in  sacra- 
mento  altaris. 

Ridlcem:  —  Mali    manducant    verum    et    naturale    corpus      (60) 
Christi  tantum  Sacramento  tenus,  juxta  Augustinum  ;  boni  vero- 
manducant  verum  corpus  et  sacramentaliter  et  per  gratiam, 
hoc  est,  spiritualiter. 

Vuestonus:  —  Adducit  canonem  de   ccena  Domini  ex  con-      (01  )8 
cilio  Niceno,  et  urgere  wlebat  maxime  quod  ibi  dicitur:  "  sed 
fide  consideremus  [reducm  jacentem?]  situm  in  mensa10  agnum, 
tollentem  peccata  mundi"     Situs,  inquit,  et  positio  corporis, 
plane  declarant  corporalem  prsesentiam  corporis, 

Ridlceus:  —  Nimis  crasse  cogitas  de  situ  agni  coelestis  in  (62) 
mensa  Domini  :  non  more  enim  humano  putandus  est,  ut 
tu  sentire  videris,  prostrato  corpore  jacere  in  mensa:  sed 
omnia  hie  spiritualiter  sunt  intelligenda.  Adest  enim  in 
mensa  agnus  ille  coelestis,  fateor,  sed  prsesentia  spirituali  et 
per  gratiam,  non  autem  secundum  substantiam  corpoream 
earnis  assumptse  :  et  canon  ipse  manifeste  docet  panem  esse 
materialem,  qui  in  mensa  proponitur  ;  et  proinde  jubet,  ne  hu- 
militer  simus  intenti  ad  ea  quse  proponuntur11  (912.  dist.)  Ea 
quse  proponuntur,  quid  sunt  aliud  (quantum  ad  substantiam) 
quam  panis  et  vinum?  sed  exaltata  mente,  fide  consideremus 
situm  esse  in  mensa  agnum  tollentem  peccata  mundi  ;  fides 
enim  exaltata  videt  ilium,  qui  sedet  ad  dexteram  Patris  se 
cundum  verum  corporis  modum,  per  gratiam  in  mensa  Do 
minica  situm  et  tollentem  peccata  mundi. 

Alim:  —  Universa  ecclesia  grsecorum  et  latinorum  140ri-      (63) 

'3  AliUS, 


7  Parker  MS.  —  has  quidem  clamabant. 

8  (61)  Parker  MS.—  the  name  of  Watson  is  prefixed. 

9  Parker  MS.—  [  ]  omitted.  mini. 

10  Parker  MS.  —  inserts  vel  jacentem. 

11  Parker  MS.  —  omits  ea  quce  proponuntur. 

12  Parker  MS.—  quasi  dicat. 

13  This  marginal  note  as  well  as  the  word  '  alms'  prefixed  is  omitted 
in  the  Parker  MS. 

14  Parker  MS.  —  orientalis  et  occidentalis. 


478  APPENDIX   I. 

entis  et  Occidentis  consenserunt  in  concilio  Florentine  unani- 
miter  in  doctrina  eucharistiae,  quod  sit  in  sacramento  altaris 
verum  et  reale  corpus  Christi.  Ergo  tu  dissentis  ab  uni versa 
ecclesia. 

(64)  Ridlceus: — Nego1  et  ecclesiam  Orientis  aut  in  concilio 

Florentino  aut  unquam  alias  consensisse  cum  Romanensi 
ecclesia,  in  doctrina  de  transubstantiatione  panis  in  corpus 
Christi.  Nihil  enim  in  concilio  Florentino  cum  Romanis2  ea 
de  re  Grseci  decernere  voluerunt :  licet  hactenus,  fateor,  ibi 
dem  convenerunt,  ut  liberum  esset  utrique  ecclesise  receptum 
suum  morem  servare  in  pane  azymo  vel  fermentato.  Hie 
rursus 

(65 )3  Doctor  Coleus  clamat : — Imo  convenerunt  de  transubstan 

tiatione  panis  in  corpus  Christi. 

(66)  Ridlceus  pernagat: — Iterum  incognitus  mihi  quidam  e  scri- 
barum  numero,  ut*  opinor:    Nihil  ibi  de  transubstantiatione 
decreverunt,   sed   earn   materiam,   tanquam   ecclesiarum   con- 
cordise  minime  convenientem,  intractatam  reliquerunt.     Quern 
vera  dixisse  Ridlseus  confirmabat. 

(67)  Vuestonus : — Chrysost.  homil.  xx.  in  1  Corinth.     "  Id  nos 
adoramus,  quod   Magi   in   prsesepi   adoraverunt :"   sed  Magi 
adoraverunt    in   prsesepi    positum   verum   et   naturale   corpus 
Christi5:    ergo,  etc.,  et   rursus   ibidem:    Non  hie  Dominum 
6(inquit  Chrysost.)   in  prgesepi,  sed  in   altari,  nee   mulierem 
in  ulnis  tenentem,  sed  sacerdotem. 

(68)  Ridlceus: — Adoramus  nos,  fateor,  eundem  verum  Dominum 
et  Servatorem  mundi,  quern  adoraverunt  Magi  in  prsesepi :  nos, 
inquam,  adoramus  eundem  in  mysterio  et  in  sacramento  coense 
Dominicse,  sed  hie  eum  adoramus  spirituali  libertate,  ut  ait 
Augustinus   lib.  iii.  doct.  Christianse,  non  carnali  servitute : 
hoc  est,  non  adoramus  serviliter  signa  pro  rebus,  quod  esset 
(ut  ille  ait)  servilis  infirmitatis,  sed  mente  in  coelum  elevata 

1  Parker  MS. — inserts  Grcecos. 

2  Parker  MS. — Romanensi. 

3  (65)  Parker  MS.— Hie  Colus  clamat. 

4  Parker  MS. — inserts  dixit  and  omits  ut  opinor,  and  the  word  London 
is  inserted  in  the  margin  at  this  speech,  Nihil  ibi,  &c. 

5  Parker  MS. — adoraverunt  comes  in  at  the  end  of  the  sentence  after 
Christi. 

6  Parker  MS, — this  (inquit  Chrysost.)  is  omitted. 


APPENDIX   I. 


479 


ilium  sursum  sedentem  qui  ab  angelis  adoratur,  eundem  nos 
oculis  fidei  prsesentem  secundum  gratiam  et  spiritualiter,  in 
mensa  sua  assidentem,  intuemur  et  adoramus  :  "  assistit  enim 
semper  Christus  in  suis  mysteriis,"  7[ut  habet  Augustinus, 
"et  divina  majestas"]  (ut  ait  Cyprianus)  "nunquam  se  ab- 
sentat  divinis  mysteriis"  :  sed  hsec  assidentia  et  prsesentia 
Christi,  quemadmodum  in  baptismo,  tota  spiritualis  est8,  et 
per  gratiam,  non  autem  per  carnis  corporalem  substantiam; 
ita  plane  se  habet  et  in  mensa  Domini  legitime  et  juxta 
verbum  Dei  rite  administrata9. 

Prolocutor:  —  Sub  finem  D.  prolocutor  hostiliter  in  me 
debacchatus  est,  inimicum  hominem  palam  appellans,  prse- 
fractum  et  singularis  audacise.  Clamabat  etiam,  hsereses  jam 
sub  ipsorum  conspectu  protritas  et  conculcatas  :  quamobrem 
omnes  vehementer  inhortabatur  ad  epinicion,  id  est  carmen 
victoriale,  concelebrandum,  ipso  D.  prolocutore  voce  prseeunte 
inclamando,  Vicit  veritas,  vicit  veritas. 

Atque  ad  hunc  modum,  triumphali  applausu  et  celebri 
acclamatione  sanctissima  sacrificorum  et  dominorum  docto- 
rum,  qui  pro  aris  et  focis,  pro  laribus  et  diis  penatibus 
strenue  dimicassent,  terminata  est  haec  gloriosa  disputatio. 

Hidlceus  ad  Lector  em. 

Hsec,  amice  lector,  bona  fide  scripsimus,  non  quod  istsec 
eadem  omnia,  vel  eisdem  aut  ordine  aut  forma  verborum,  me 
in  scholis  dixisse  affirmaverim  :  nequaquam  enim  hoc  dixerim  : 
erat  enim  hoc  turn  impossibile  :  ita  eram  turn,  tanquam  ursus 
catenatus,  molossorum  multitudine  undique  allatrantium  cir- 
cumdatus  et  exagitatus  :  sed  quod  sciam,  me  ista  aut  ejus 
generis  consimillima  habuisse  :  et  interdum  credo  istis,  pro 
ea  quse  turn  mihi  oblata  est  dicendi  tune  occasio,  etiam  com- 


7  Parker  MS.  —  this  clause  in  brackets  is  omitted. 

8  Parker  MS.—  est. 


9  After  this  the  Parker  MS.  finishes  with  the  following  sentence  : 
Post  disputationem  cum  Ridlseo  Vuestonus  haec  habuit  verba  : 
Vidistis,  viri  fratres,  praefactum  haeresis  nimirum  animum,  vidistis 
obstinatam  audaciam;  vidistis  inexpugnabilem,  illabefactatam  *,  incon- 
cussam  victricem  veritatem.     Vestrae  ergo  partes  erunt,  hsreses  ex- 
pugnatas   prsedicare,  victoriamque  virtuti   tribuere,  ct   uno    applausu 
clam  are  :  Vicit  Veritas. 

*  So  in  the  Parker  MS.  apparently  for  Mabffactam. 


480  APPENDIX   I. 

modiora.  Nam  Deo  sint  gratiae,  cujus  hoc  singulare  beneficium 
fuisse  agnosco,  nunquam  mihi  aut  ingenium  praesentius,  aut 
lingua  promptius  alicui  negotio,  quam  illi  disputationi  inse- 
ruisse  sunt  visa.  Unde,  amice  lector,  quicquid  antehac  legisti 
aut  audisti,  quod  ad  illam  nostram  disputationem  pertinet, 
vel  posthac  quicquid  contigerit  te  legere  aut  audire  a  quo- 
cunque  descriptum  vel  relatum,  quod  vel  cum  his  quse  jam 
scripsi  repugnabit,  vel  in  sensu  et  in  summa  non  consenserit, 
id  universum  scias  esse  falsum,  et  vel  ab  imperito  et  indocto 
scriba,  qui  meas  responsiones  non  bene  intellexerit ;  vel  os- 
citante,  qui  non  satis  diligenter  attenderit ;  vel  ab  invido 
et  malitioso  papista,  qui  hostis  est  Dei  et  veritatis,  esse 
profectum. 

Deus  misereatur  nostri,  et  benedicat  nobis :  illuminet  vul- 
tum  suum  super  nos,  et  misereatur  nostri : 

Ut  cognoscamus  in  terra  viam  tuam,  in  omnibus  genti- 
bus  salutare  tuum. 

Scias  insuper,  amice  lector,  D.  prolocutorem  mihi  in 
scholis  inter  disputandum  publice  promisisse,  ut  viderem  re 
sponsiones  meas  quomodo  essent  a  notariis  exceptae,  et  ut 
haberem  facultatem  easdem  supplendi  et  perficiendi,  aut  etiam 
commutandi,  si  quid  postea  visum  foret  commodius,  quod  pro- 
positis  argumentis  respondere  vellem.  Promisit  etiam  mihi 
locum  et  tempus  publice  danda,  in  quibus  libere  omnia  quae 
vellem  in  confirmationem  mearum  responsionum  liceret  ad- 
ducere:  hsec  omnia  cum  publice  promisisset  in  auditu  reli- 
quorum  commissariorum  et  totius  scholae  Oxoniensis,  scias, 
in  quam,  eum  nihil  horum  in  veritate  praestitisse.  Quid  igitur 
fidei  istiusmodi  hominibus,  et  ubi  tales  sunt  judices,  haben- 
dum  sit  in  arcanis  mysteriis  Dei,  qui  in  suis  promissis  tarn 
palam  factis,  tarn  justo  jure  debitis,  et  in  tarn  seriis  rebus, 
neque  Deum  neque  homines  veriti,  fidem  fallere  non  erubes- 
cunt,  ego  prudentiorum  judicio  judicandum  esse  relinquo.  Et 
nunc  quid  restat,  nisi  ut  precemur,  ut  Deus  ecclesiaa  suae 
Anglicanse  misereri  velit,  ut  ipsa  aliquando  clare  videat  et 
amplectatur  avide  in  facie  Jesu  Christi  voluntatem  Patris  coe- 
lestis;  et  ut  grassantes  lupos  et  impostores  gravissimos,  qui 
tarn  misere  gregem  suam  dilaniant  et  dementant,  vel  pro  sua 
infinita  bonitate  transformet  in  fideles  pastores,  aut  pro  aequis- 
simo  suo  judicio  ab  ovili  suo,  ne  amplius  oves  Christi  contur- 


APPENDIX     I.  481 

bare  et  dissipare  valeant,  quam  citissime  abscindat :  Amen, 
amen :  et  qui  habet  spiritum  Christi  (ut  ait  Johannes)  dicat, 
Amen. 

Scias  postremo,  cum  D.  Prolocutor  proposuisset  nobis 
tres  propositiones,  et  jussisset  singulis  parari  a  nobis  respon- 
sionem,  post  habitam  unam  duntaxat  hujusmodi  disputationem 
cum  unoquoque  nostrum  de  prima  tantum  propositione,  absque 
ulteriore  delatione,  et  antequam  de  reliquis  duabus  proposi- 
tionibus  meas  (scis)  responsiones  vel  accepisset  vel  audisset 
mihi  (nisi  quod  in  die  quo  tulit  in  nos  sententiam,  inter- 
rogavit  simul  omnes,  utrum  vellemus  eis,  ea  forma  qua  propo- 
nebantur,  simpliciter  subscribere)  condemnavit  nos  omnes,  me 
dico,  Cranmerum  et  Latimerum  (patres  in  Christo  reverendis- 
simos,  et  nunc  atque  in  seternum  mihi  fratres  charissimos) 
horrendissimse  haereseos  criminis  de  omnibus  illis  tribus  pro- 
positionibus,  et  sejunctos  ab  invicem  atque  in  diversis  locis  dis- 
tractos  tradidit  servandos  in  diem  combustionis,  ablatis  prius 
a  nobis  propriis  nostris  famulis,  ablatis  postea  (cum  abiret) 
calamo,  charta  et  atramento :  atque  hunc  in  modum  cum  D. 
Prolocutor  Londinum  ab  Oxonia  reverteretur,  et  ego  hsec 
describerem,  dimissi  sumus.  Omnipotens  Deus,  qui  causas  hu- 
milium  respicit,  et  solvere  consuevit  gemitus  compeditorum ; 
ipse  jam  dignetur  causam  ecclesiae  suse  Anglicanse  respicere, 
atque  ejus  malis  omnibus,  pro  sua  immensa  misericordia,  finem 
brevi  imponere  dignetur.  Amen. 


31 

[RIDLEY.] 


SPEECHES 

FROM  THE   PARKER  MS.  IN  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
CORPUS  CHRISTI   COLLEGE,   CAMBRIDGE. 


(7)  Vuestonus: — Ego  ostendam  vobis  quid  per  realem  Christi 
prsesentiam  intelligimus.     Intelligimus   semper  ipsissimi  cor- 
poris  veram  et  corporalem  praesentiam. 

(8)  Smithus  hie  allegabat  canonem,  quern  dicebat  esse  Niceni 
concilii)  per  transubstantiationem  est  carnalis  Christi  prcesentia 
in    eucharistia;    cujus    canonis    verborum    non    memini,   sed 
prorsus  similis  erat  canoni  de  eadem  re  Lateranensis  concilii. 

Quamobrem  negabam  talem   extare  canonem  in  Niceno  con- 
cilio. 

(9)  Colus: — Non  est  tamen  Niceni  concilii,  sed  est  Ephesiani. 

(10)  Eidleius: — Negabam  ullum  talem  canonem  extare  aut  in 
Ephesiano,  Niceno,  Calcedonensi  aut  Constantinopolitano.  Nam 
quid  concilium  Eptiesianum  habeat  ea  de  re,  bene  memini. 

(11)  Colus: — Afferatur  liber. 

(12)  Ridleius: — Afferatur,  nusquam  inveniemus.     Turn  quidam 
qui   sedebat    ad   mensam  inter  scribas,   cujus  nomen   ignoro, 
dicebat  esse  in  aliquo   olio  concilio    ex   recentioribus,   et   sic 
itum  est  ad  alia. 

(13)  Smithus: — Chrysostomus  homil.  xvii.  ad  Hebrseos.     Chris- 
tus  multis  locis  offertur,  hie  plenus  Christus  et  illic  plenus, 
unum  corpus  et  una  est  hostia,  non  multse :   ergo  cum  potest 
esse  in  multis   simul   locis,    potest   esse   simul   et   in   eodem 
temporis  mpmento  in  coelo  et  in  terra. 

(14)  Ridleius: — Concedo  cum  Chrysostomo,  "una  est  hostia,  et 
non  multse."     Et  una  est  nostra  hostia  ab  unitate  illius  unicse, 
quam  unam  omnes  nostrse  reprsesentant :  ilia  autem  unica  fuit, 
ea  quse  semel  duntaxat  oblata  est  in  ara  crucis,  cujus  omnes 
nostrse  sunt  sacramentalia  exemplaria.     Et  quod  dixit  Chrysos 
tomus  Christum  in  multis  locis  simul  offerri,  hie  plenus  Christus 
et  illic  plenus  Christus,  verum  est  quoque  Christum   offerri 
multis  in  locis,  sed  in  mysterio  et  sacramentaliter,  et  plenum 


APPENDIX     I.  483 

in  omnibus  illis  locis,  non  secundum  corporalem  assuraptae 
carnis  substantiam,  sed  secundum  benedictionem  vivificationis 
in  pane  et  vino,  ut  ait  Cyrillus,  et  ad  oblationem  attinet,  cujus 
meminit;  hie  Chrysostomus  ipsemet  quid  sentiat  clarissime 
explicat,  per  correctionem  dicens,  Idipsum  semper  facimus, 
magis  autem  recordatione  sacrificii  operamur. 

[Vide  p.  458.] 

Harpsfeldus: — Chrysostomus  ad  populum  Antiochenum,  07) 
Horn.  ii.  "  Helias  correptus  in  coelum  curru  igneo,  clamidem 
demisit  suo  discipulo  Helisaeo,  nee  simul  secum  habere  potuit : 
Christus  ascendit  in  coelum,  et  veram  carnem  secum  assumpsit, 
et  nobiscum  in  terris  reliquit,  sed  non  reliquit  nisi  in  sacra- 
mento  altaris:"  ergo,  &c. 

[Vide  p.  460.] 

Harpsfeldus : — Hilarius  ait,  Deus  neminem  fallit  vocabulis,      (23) 
qui  est  ipsa  veritas:  verum  ergo  est  quod  dicit,  dicit  autem 
"hoc  est  corpus  meum,"  ergo  est  corpus  Christi. 

Ridleius: — Concedo  tibi  haec  omnia.  (24) 

Harpsfeldus: — Quid  tradidit  Christus  discipulis  in  ccena?      (25) 

Ridleius: — Panem,  corpus  suum.  (26) 

Harpsfeldus: — Tradidit  illud  quod  jussit  eos  accipere,  sed      (27) 
jussit  eos  accipere  corpus  suum,  et  non  panem;  ergo  corpus 
erat  quod  tradidit,  non  panis. 

[Vide  p.  464.] 

Oglethorpus : — Disparatum  de  disparate  non  potest  prsedi-      (29) 
cari :  ut  homo  non  est  lapis,  ita  panis  non  potest  esse  corpus 
Christi. 

Ridleius: — In   propriis  locutionibus  non  potest,  concede,      (30) 
sed  in  tropicis,  qualis  hsec  locutio   Christi   in  verbis   coanae, 
"  hoc,"  id  est  "  hie  panis"  est  corpus  meum,  bene  potest,  sicut 
ibi,  Johannes  est  Helias,  petra  erat  Christus.     Christus  etiam 
dicit  de  se,  Ego  sum  vitis,  etc. 

Vuestonus : — Theophylactus  in  Johannem  vi.  ait,  Fit  conver-      (31) 
sio  panis  in  carnem  Dominicam,  et  quod  illud  quod  Christus 
dedit,  nos  damus:  illud  autem  non  erat  figura  corporis,  sed 
corpus  ipsum. 

De   TheopJiylacti  auctoritate  quid  sentiebat  Ridleius   non      (32) 
wplicavit,  neque  enim  admodum  potuit  tarn  multoruni  voci- 
ferationibus  exagitajus.     Responded  simpliciter  ad  propositum 
locum  Theoptylacti,  Concedo,  inquit,  panem  convert!  in  carnem 

31—2 


484  APPENDIX    I. 

Christi,  sed  non  per  transubstantiationem,  sed  per  sacramen- 
talem  conversionem,  transformatur,  inquit  Theophylactus  ibi 
dem,  per  mysticam  benedictionem  et  accessionem  spiritus 
sancti  in  carnem  Domini;  non  dicit  per  expressionem  sub- 
stantise  panis,  et  substitutione  corporalis  substantise  carnis 
Domini.  Et  quod  dicit  "non  est  figura  corporis,"  subintelli- 
gendum  est  quod  ipse  aliud  addit,  viz.  tantum.  Hoc  est, 
non  est  nuda  figura  corporis,  assistit  enini  Christus  suis 
mysteriis,  neque  unquam,  ut  Cyprianus  ait,  "  Divina  majestas 
sese  absentat  a  divinis  mysteriis." 

(33)1  Hardingus : — [Hie  sedebat  ad  mensam  inter  scribas :]  qui 

sibi  mndicabat  linguae  Grcecce,  ut  videbatur,  notitiam,  alle- 
gabat  ex  Theophylacto  verbum  Grcecum,  quod  vertitur,  tran- 
substantiatur :  hoc  verbum,  inquit ;,  importat  substantise  in 
substantiam  conversionem.  Ergo  substantia  panis  conver- 
titur  in  substantiam  corporis  Christi. 

(34)  Ridleius  negat  verbum  illud  Grcecum  earn  vim  Jiabere,  et 
citabat    ex    eodem    Theophylacto    alium    locum,   in    quo   idem 
TheopJiylactus   utitur    eodem    verbo,  dicens,   nos  transubstan- 
tiari  in  carnem  Christi,  sed  absurdum  est  nos  transubstantiari 
in  carnem  Christi. 

(35)  Hardingus: — Christus   dedit    nobis    suam   veram    carnem 
manducandam,  sed  nunquam  earn  dedit  manducandam  nisi  in 
ultima    coena    et    in   sacramento   altaris:    ergo   ibi   est  vera 
Christi  caro. 

[Vide  p.  465.] 

(41)  Vuatsonus: — Joh.  vi.   Qui  manducat  meam  carnem  etbibit 
meum  sanguinem,  in  me  manet  et  ego  in  eo :  de  qua  mandu- 
catione  intelligis  esse  dictum? 

(42)  Ridleius: — De  spirituali  manducatione. 

(43)  2  [Quidam]   Qusero  an  eucharistia  sit  sacrum  a   Domino 
institutum  in  ultima  sua  coena  cum  discipulis  suis. 

(44)  Ridleius: — Concede  hsec  omnia  ita  se  habere. 
(45)3  Vuatsonus: — Quid  est  sacramentum? 

(46)  Ridleius: — Tritum   est    illud    Augustini.      Est    invisibilis 

gratise  visibilis  forma :  alioquin  quomodo  sacramentum  a  mul- 
tis  scriptoribus  varie  accipitur,  credo  tibi  non  esse  ignotum. 

1  (33)  Compare  p.  465. 

3  The  name  of  the  speaker  is  omitted. 

3  (45)  See  p.  471. 


APPENDIX 


485 


Vuatsonus : — Eucharistia  est  sacramentum  novi  testament!,      (47) 
habet  ergo  promissionem  gratise :    sed  nulla  promissio  facta 
est  pani  et  vino,  ergo  panis  et  vinum  non  sunt  sacramenta 
novi  testamenti. 

Ridlems: — Concedo  ad  eucharistiam  pertinere  gratiam 
juxta  illud  "  panis  quern  frangimus"  nomen4  communicatum, 
etc.  et  sicut  qui  edit  et  bibit  indigne  sacramentum  corporis  et 
sanguinis  Domini,  reus  est  corporis  et  sanguinis,  et  judicium 
sibi  manducat  et  bibit;  ita  sane  qui  digne  comedit  et  bibit, 
manducat  vitam  et  bibit  vitam :  concede  etiam  quod  nulla 
promissio  facta  est  pani  et  vino,  quatenus  sunt  panis  et  vinum, 
verum  quatenus  sanctificantur  et  fiunt  sacramentum  corporis 
et  sanguinis  Domini,  habent  annexam  promissionem  gratise, 
nimirum  communicationis  spiritualis  corporis  Christi  com- 
municandse  et  largiendaa,  non  pani  aut  vino,  sed  iis  qui 
digne  mysteria  participant. 

Vuatsonus: — Unus  panis  et  unum  corpus  multi  sumus 
omnes,  qui  de  uno  pane  participamur :  qusero,  quomodo  ?  in- 
telligisne  de  uno  pane  materiali,  an  divino  corpore  naturali 
Christi  ? 

Ridleius: — De  uno  pane  materiali,  quod  sacramentaliter      (50) 
est  corpus  Christi :  nam  ecclesia  diu  consuevit  uti  uno  pane 
in  mensa  Domini,  et  ille  unus  omnibus  communicabatur :  ita 
Dionisius    vocat    panem    individuam,    et    Cyprianus    testatur 
ilium  saginari5  corpus  nostrum. 

Vuatsonus: — Quomodo  possunt  omnes  de  uno  pane  parti-      (51) 
cipare  ? 

[Vide  p.  473.] 

4  MS.— nom.  5  Probably  for  snginare. 


APPENDIX  II. 


Articles1,  jointly  and  severally  ministered  to  DR  EIDLEY  and 
MASTER  LATIMER,  by  the  Pope's  Deputy. 

From  Fox,  Acts  and  Monuments,  1st  Edition. 

IN  Dei  nomine,  amen.  Nos  lohannes  Lincolniensis,  Ia~ 
cobus  Glocestrensis,  et  lohannes  Bristollensis,  episcopi,  per 
reverendissimum  dominum  Reginaldum,  miseratione  divina  S. 
Marise  in  Cosmedin  sanctae  Romanae  ecclesise  diaconum  Car- 
dinalem,  "  Polum  nuncupatum,"  sanctissimi  domini  nostri  papee, 
et  sedis  apostolicse,  ad  serenissimos  Philippum  et  Mariam 
Angliae  reges  et  ad  universum  Angliae  regnum  legatum, 
authoritate  sufficiente  delegati  ad  inquirendum  de  quodam 
negotio  inquisitionis  hereticae  pravitatis  contra  et  adversus 
Hugonem  Latimerum  et  Nicholaum  Ridleyum  (pro  episcopis 
Vigornensi  et  Londoniensi  se  respective  gerentes),  speciali- 
ter  delegati  et  contra  et  adversus  eorum  quemlibet  inquirendo, 
proponimu»  et  articulamur  conjunctim  et  divisim,  prout 
sequitur. 

1.  In  primis  N.  B.  tibi  objicimus,  quod  tu  in  hac  alma 
universitate  Oxon.  An.  Domini  1554,  mensibus  vero  Aprilis, 
Maii,  Junii,  Julii,  aut  earum   quolibet   uno   sive   aliquo,  ac 
multis  aliis  locis  et  temporibus,  asseruisti,  affirmasti,  ac  palam, 
publice   et  pertinaciter  defendisti,  in  sacramento  altaris  non 
esse  realiter  prsesens,  virtute  verbi  divini  a  sacerdote  prolati, 
verum  et  naturale  corpus  Christi,  neque  naturalem  ejus  san- 
guinem. — Ponimus  ut  supra. 

2.  Item,  quod  anno,  loco,  mensibus  prsedictis  tu  asseruisti, 
affirmasti,  ao   palam,  publice  et  pertinaciter   defendisti,  post 
consecrationem  in  sacramento   altaris  remanere   substantiam 
panis  et  vini. — Ponimus  ut  supra. 

3.  Item,  quod  anno,  loco,  mensibus  prsedictis  tu  asseruisti, 
affirmasti,  ac  palam,  publice,  et  pertinaciter  defendisti,  in  massa 

Q1  These  Articles  are  "ministered"  to  both  Ridley  and  Latimer  in 
the  preamble,  but  in  the  articles  themselves  N.  R.  only  is  accused.    ED.] 


APPENDIX    II.  487 

non  esse  vivificum  ecclesise   sacrificium   pro   salute   vivorum 
et  mortuorum  propitiabile. — Ponimus  ut  supra. 

4.  Item,  quod  prsedictse  assertiones  tuae  anno,  loco,  et 
mensibus   praedictis  fuerunt   publice   et    solemniter    sententia 
scholastica  condemnataa  ut  hereticse,  verbo  Dei  et  catholicae 
fidei    contrariae    per   venerabilem   virum    Hugonem    Weston, 
Sacrae   Theologiae   Professorem,   tune   prolocutorem  convoca- 
tionis  cleri  provinciae  Cantuariensis,  et  alios  nonnullos  doctis- 
simos  viros,  tarn  convocationem   prsedictam   quam  utramque 
universitatem  Oxon.  et  Cantabrig.  respective  representantes. 
— Ponimus  ut  supra. 

5.  Item,   quod    omnia    et   singula   praemissa  sunt  vera, 
publica,  notoria  pariter  ac  famosa;   et  de  praedictis  omnibus 
et   singulis,  tarn  in   universitate   Oxon.   quam  aliis   in  locis 
vicinis  et  remotis,  laborarunt,  et  adhuc  laborant,  publica  vox 
et  fama. — Ponimus  ut  supra. 


APPENDIX   III. 


HAUL.  MS.  416,  fol.  132. 

DR  TURNER  Dean  of  Wells  to  MR  Fox  concerning  his  Book 
of  Martyrs:  and  some  Intelligence  of  his  knowledge  of 
BP.  RIDLEY. 

SALVE,  Frater  in  Christo  longe  charissime.  Quanquam 
non  sum  nescius  te  Spiritu  Dei  non  mediocriter  esse  ditatum : 
talem  tamen  cum  semper  ab  eo  tempore  quo  inter  nos  fami- 
liaritas  aliqua  intercessit,  fuisse  intellexi,  ut  non  illibenter 
fratrum  tuorum  admonitionibus  obtemperares ;  quum  mihi  e 
longis  meis  peregrinationibus  in  varijs  provinciis  multorum  de 
libro  tuo,  quern  de  martyribus  nostratibus  conscripsisti,  judicia 
explorata  mihi  sint,  non  feres  moleste,  opinor,  si  quod  accepi 
in  apertum  tibi  produxero.  Inter  omnes  quos  de  libro  tuo 
loquentes  audivi,  neminem  uspiam  reperi  qui  non,  ut  argti- 
mentum,  ita  felicitatem  et  dexteritatem  tuam  in  argumento 


488  APPENDIX     III. 

tractando,  summis  laudibus  evexerint.  Verum  ex  tenui- 
oribus  non  pauci  de  magnitudine  pretii  libri  conquest!  sunt. 
Qui  ut,  juxta  Christ!  verbum,  jure  quodam  suo  ex  promisso 
scripturse  evangelium  sib!  vendicant,  ita  prse  inopia  non 
suppetentibus  sumptibus,  non  possunt  libros  evangelicos  sib! 
comparare ;  quum  divites  plerique  ad  ostentationem,  quo  evan 
gelic!  videri  possint,  sib!  comparent.  Quare  mill!  et  nonnullis 
aliis  eodem  spiritu  afflatis  magis  ex  re  vera  Christianorum 
esse  visum  est  ut,  papistarum  nominibus  et  historiis  deletis, 
(quorsum  enim  in  libris  tuis  eorum  fieret  mentio,  qui  nullum 
habent  locum  in  libro  vitae?)  et  ea  sola  in  libro  tuo  com- 
memorentur,  quse  ad  vere  martyres  pertinerent,  superfluis  et 
multis  Latine  recitatis,  quae  per  te  Anglice  redduntur,  resectis. 
Aquilam  volare  doceret,  qui  tibi  ostenderet  qusenam  ut  minus 
lectu  necessaria  expungenda  essent.  Typographus  fere  quis- 
que  mavult  libros  suos  esse  magnos  ob  magnum  suum  quses- 
tum,  quam  misello  et  parvo  gregi  Christ!  utiles  et  facile 
parabiles.  Utinam  tarn  lautus  tibi  victus  suppeteret,  ut 
non  cogaris  miseris,  avaris,  gloriosis  et  amusis  librariis  ser- 
vire !  Audio  enim  te  maligne  a  tuo  domino,  ne  quid  durius 
dicam,  tractatum  esse.  Si  res  secus  habeat,  abs  te  discere 
cupio. 

De  Ridleio  plura  dicere  possum  et  certiora  quam  tu  in 
libro  tuo  commemorasti,  ut  qui  in  eadem  provincia,  qua  ille, 
primos  ediderim  vagitus,  et  ill!  in  collegio  Pembrochiano  ad 
multos  annos  fui  collega  et  in  theologicis  exercitamentis 
antagonista.  Is  erat  in  Northumbria  mea  natus,  et  e  nobili 
Eidleiorum  prosapia  prognatus. 

Alter  patruorum  armatse  militise  eques  auratus  fuit,  alter 
erat  theologise  doctor,  Robert!  Ridleii  nomine,  non  solum 
Cantabrigise,  sed  et  Parisiis  ubi  diu  studuerat,  et  scriptis 
Polydori  Vergilii  per  totam  Europam  notissimus.  Hujus 
doctoris  sumptibus  est  Nicolaus  noster  diu  Cantabrigiaa,  postea 
Parisiis,  postremo  Lavanii  sustentatus :  post  reditum  ejus  a 
gymnasiis  ultramarinis  ad  multos  annos  nobiscum  in  collegio 
Pembrochiano  vixit ;  sed  tandem  ad  Cantuariensem  episcopum 
a  nobis  avocatus  est,  cui  fideliter  servivit,  et  tandem  ad  epi- 
scopalis  dignitatis  fastigium  evectus  est.  Vicus  in  quo  natus 
erat  Wilowmontiswik  appellatur :  porro  Willowmont  Northum- 
briensium  lingua  anatem  rupestrem  significat ;  wik  vero  sig- 


APPENDIX    III.  489 

nificat  vicum  aut  pagum,  ut  in  Anwico  et  Berwico  videre 
licet  et  in  Crowyke.  De  ejus  memoria,  multiplici  linguarum 
et  artium  cognitione,  quanquam  ipse  testis  esse  possum  locu- 
pletissimus  (nam  me  primus  Grsecse  linguae  pleniori  cognitione 
instruebat),  citra  meum  testimonium  plerique  omnes  Canta- 
brigienses,  quibus  satis  erat  notus,  testari  volunt  et  possunt. 
Quam  fuerit  in  quavis  materia  confutanda  aut  expugnanda 
fortis,  sine  tamen  ulla  jactantia  aut  armorum  strepitu,  non 
solum  ego,  sed  omnes  quibuscum  congressus  est,  (modo  gloriae 
quam  par  erat  sitientiores  intellexerit,  hos  enim  fortius  op- 
primebat)  facile  senserunt.  Moribus  erat  longe  placidissimis 
et  citra  hypocrisim  aut  monasticam  austeritatem  sanctissimis. 
Arcu  enim  et  pila  palmaria  ssepissime  sese  mecum  exercuit. 
Beneficentiae  ejus  in  pauperes  si  nullus  alius  [testis]  existat, 
ego  hoc  omnibus  testatum  volo,  ilium  antequam  ad  ullam  ec- 
clesiasticam  dignitatem  evectus  esset,  me  secum  comitem  ad 
proximum  nosodochium  duxisse ;  et  quum  mihi  quod  pauperi- 
bus  erogarem  non  suppeteret,  praeterea  quae  ipse  largiter  pro 
facultatum  suarum  modo  distribuerat,  mihi  quod  pauperibus 
conferrem  ssepe  suppeditavit.  Quantum  subsidii  in  carcere 
adhuc  agens,  nobis  in  Germania  exulantibus,  ex  Anglia  emi- 
serit,  doctissimus  vir,  ejus  veluti  fidus  Achates,  Doctor  Ed- 
mundus  Grendalus,  nunc  Londinensis  episcopus,  testari  potest, 
et  alii  multi  qui  ipsius  liberalitate  fuere  sublevati.  Qualis 
ergo  vir  quum  fuerit,  doctissimus  nimirum,  castissimus,  et 
omnibus  modis  sanctissimus,  quam  inclementes,  feros  et  cru- 
deles  habuit  turn  Anglia  tarn  reges  quam  episcopos,  qui 
conjunctis  consiliis  in  mortem  ejus  conspiraverunt,  et  torto- 
ribus  vivum  exurendum  tradiderunt,  ob  nullum  aliud  flagitium, 
quam  quod  Cliristo  vero  hoinini  in  coelo  firmam  sedem  et 
non  vagam,  et  in  terris  supremum  gubernaculum  illi  contra 
Romanum  Antichristum  asseruerit.  0  gravia  scelera,  ob  quse 
tarn  illustris  Christi  propheta  et  episcopus  tarn  gravi  supplicio 
afficeretur !  Vos  qui  in  mortem  ejus  conspirastis,  dum  adhuc 
vivitis,  resipiscite,  et  tyrannidem  vestram  coram  omnibus  ag- 
noscite  et  confitemini,  et  veniarn  a  Deo  omnipotente  multis 
precibus  efflagitate,  ne  propter  vestrum  horrendum  scelus 
universum  hoc  regnum  poenas  luat  gravissimas. 

Doctor  Taylerus,  qui  Hadlei  exustus  est,  in  Northumbria 
etiam  natus  est  in  oppido  Rothberry,  non  procul  a  Riddis- 


490  APPENDIX    III. 

dalia.  Cum  hoc  homine  ad  multos  annos  vixi  familiarissime, 
et  tit  evangelicam  doctrinam  amplecteretur,  hortator  eram 
minime  segnis ;  et  ut  facilius  nobiscum  sentiret,  "  Unionem 
Dissidentium"  clanculum  illi  paravi,  quo  et  Latimeri  concioni- 
bus  inescatus,  in  doctrinam  nostram  pedibus  ivit  facillime. 
Latimerus.  gj  (je  Latimero  plura  scire  cupias  quam  in  libro  tuo  scripta 
sunt,  archiepiscopus  Cantuariensis  et  doctor  Lancelotus  Bid- 
leius  te  satis  possunt  instruere.  Hoc  me  valde  male  habet, 
quod  sanctissimi  martyris  domini  Thorpii  liber  non  sit  ea 
lingua  Anglice  conscriptus,  qua  eo  tempore  quo  ipse  vixit 
tune  tota  Anglia  est  usa.  Nam  talis  antiquitatis  sum  ad- 
mirator,  ut  segerrime  feram  talis  antiquitatis  thesauros  nobis 
perire;  quo  nomine  baud  magnam  apud  me  gratiam  inierunt 
qui  Petrum  Aratorem,  Gowerum  et  Chaucerum,  et  similis 
farinse  homines,  in  hanc  turpiter  mixtam  linguam,  neque  vero 
Anglicam  neque  pure  Gallicam,  transtulerunt.  Eecte  igitur, 
me  judice,  facturus  es  si  alicunde  Thorpii  autographum  nan- 
cisci  possis,  ea  lingua  edas  qua  ille  conscripserit.  Expendes 
quseso  in  quorum  potissimum  gratiam  librum  conscripseris. 
Quo  facto  non  dubito,  licet  typographus  insaniat,  quin  librum 
ad  verse  ecclesise  utilitatem  majorem  sis  editurus.  Nam, 
turn  inutilibus  et  superfluis  resectis,  libri  pretium  non  ultra 
Xs  excrescet. 

Vale,  frater  charissime.  Wellise,  Novem.  26. 

Tuus  Gulielmus 

Turnerus. 

To  his  welbelovyd  brother 
Master  Fox  precher  of 
Goddis  word  be  this 
delyvered  in 
London. 


4Q1 

APPENDIX    III. 


HAUL.  MS.  416,  fol.  132. 
E  Cod.  Mus.  Brit. 


MY  most  dear  brother  in  Christ,  I  greet  you  well.    Though 
I  am  not  ignorant  that  you  are  in  no  mean  degree  endowed 
with  the  Spirit  of  God;    yet  as,  since  that  time  when  any 
intimacy  arose  between  us,  I  have  always  understood  you  to 
be  one,  who  would  not  unwillingly  listen  to  the  admonitions 
of  your  brethren;    and  as,  in  my  long  wanderings  through 
many  provinces,  the  opinions  of  many  concerning  the  book 
which  you  have  written   of  our  martyrs,  have   been   ascer 
tained  by  me,  you  will  not,  I  think,  take  it  ill,  if  I  openly 
state  to  you  what  I  have  heard.     Among  all  those  whom  I 
have  heard  speaking  of  your  book,   I  have   nowhere  found 
any  one  who  did  not  with  the  greatest  praises  commend,  not 
the   subject    only,    but   also   your   felicity   and    dexterity   in 
treating  it.     But   of  the  poorer  sort  not  a  few  have  com 
plained  of  the  greatness  of  the  price  of  the  book,  who,  though 
according  to  the  saying  of  Christ  they  have  a  sort  of  special 
right  to  the  Gospel  in  virtue  of  a  certain  scripture  promise, 
yet   on  account  of  poverty,  not  having  the  means,  cannot 
procure  for  themselves  evangelical  books,  while  rich  men,  for 
the  most  part,  out  of  ostentation  do  procure  them,  that  they 
may  seem  evangelical.     On  which  account  it  has  seemed  to 
me,  and  to  some  others  influenced  by  the  same  spirit,  that  it 
would  be  more  to  the  advantage  of  Christians,  if,  the  names 
and  histories  of  papists  being  erased  (for  why  should  mention 
be  made  in  your  book  of  those  who  have  no  place  in  the 
book  of  life?)    and  many  things  superfluous  and  related  in 
Latin,  which  by  you  are  translated   in   English,  being   cut 
out,   those  things  alone  should   be   commemorated   in   your 
book  which  regard  those  truly  martyrs.     It  would  be   like 
teaching  the  eagle  to  fly,  to  shew  you  what  things  might  be 
expunged,  as  less  necessary  to  be  read.     Almost  every  printer 
would  rather  have  his  books  large  for  the  sake  of  his  own 
profit,  than  useful  to,  and  easily  attainable  by,  the  small  and 


492 


APPENDIX    III. 


poor  flock  of  Christ.  I  would  that  you  had  so  competent 
a  provision,  that  you  might  not  be  compelled  to  serve  mean, 
avaricious,  vain,  and  illiterate  booksellers ;  for  I  hear  that 
you  have  been  malignantly  treated  by  your  master,  to  call 
him  by  no  harsher  name.  If  the  case  be  otherwise,  I  desire 
to  hear  it  from  you. 

Of  Ridley  I  can  give  more  and  more  certain  intelligence 
than  you  have  preserved  in  your  book.  For  I  first  drew 
my  breath  in  the  same  province  with  him,  and  in  Pembroke 
college  was  for  many  years  his  companion,  and  in  our  theo 
logical  exercises  his  opponent. 

He  was  born  in  my  own  county  of  Northumberland,  and 
descended  from  the  noble  stock  of  the  Ridleys.  One  of  his 
uncles  was  a  knight ;  the  other,  Robert  Ridley  by  name, 
a  doctor  in  divinity,  not  only  of  Cambridge  but  also  of  Paris, 
where  he  long  studied,  and  became  known,  through  the 
writings  of  Polydore  Vergil,  throughout  all  Europe. 

At  the  expense  of  this  doctor  was  our  Ridley  main 
tained  first  at  Cambridge,  then  at  Paris,  and  afterwards  at 
Louvain.  After  his  return  from  the  foreign  universities  he 
lived  with  us  many  years  in  Pembroke  college ;  but  at  length 
he  was  called  away  from  us  to  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
whom  he  faithfully  served,  and  was  at  last  elevated  to  the 
height  of  the  episcopal  dignity. 

The  village  in  which  he  was  born  is  called  Willowmonts- 
wick.  Now  Willowmont,  in  the  Northrumbrian  language, 
signifies  a  wild  duck1,  or  duck  of  the  rocks;  and  wick  sig 
nifies  village  or  hamlet,  as  may  be  seen  in  Aln-wick,  and 
Ber-wick,  and  in  Cro-wick.  As  to  his  memory  and  mani 
fold  knowledge  of  arts  and  languages,  though  I  might  myself 
be  an  abundant  witness  (for  he  first  instructed  me  in  a 
fuller  knowledge  of  the  Greek  language),  yet  beyond  my 
testimony  almost  all  Cambridge  men,  to  whom  he  was  well 
enough  known,  will  and  can  bear  witness  to  it.  How  strong 
he  was  in  confuting  or  overthrowing  any  [false]  argument, 
yet  without  any  vain  glory  or  parade  of  his  learning,  not 

P  "Colymbus  Troile.  This  bird  is  called  Guillem  by  the  Welsh, 
Guillemot  or  Sea  Hen  in  Northumberland  and  Durham,  in  the  Southern 
parts  Willocks"  Donovan's  British  Birds,  vol.  ii.  plate  xxviii.  He  fur 
ther  describes  it  as  frequenting  the  coasts  and  the  rocks.  ED.] 


APPENDIX     III.  493 

only  I,  but  all  those  who  encountered  him,  plainly  felt,  un 
less  indeed  those  whom  he  deemed  more  eager  for  glory 
than  is  meet  (for  such  he  repressed).  In  his  manners  he 
was  most  placid  and  saintly,  yet  without  any  hypocrisy  or 
monastic  severity;  for  very  often  he  would  exercise  himself 
with  me  both  with  the  bow  and  at  hand  ball2. 

Of  his  beneficence  towards  the  poor,  if  there  were  no 
other  witness,  I  desire  to  bear  my  public  testimony,  that 
before  he  had  arrived  at  any  ecclesiastical  dignity,  he  would 
take  me  with  him  to  the  nearest  hospital,  and  when  I  had 
not  wherewithal  to  give  to  the  poor,  he,  in  addition  to  what 
he  largely  for  his  means  distributed,  would  often  supply  me 
with  somewhat  to  bestow  upon  them.  How  much  assistance, 
even  when  in  prison,  he  sent  out  of  England  to  us  who 
were  exiles  in  Germany,  that  most  learned  man,  and,  as 
it  were,  his  fidus  Achates,  Doctor  Edmund  Grindall,  now 
bishop  of  London,  can  testify,  and  many  others  who  were 
relieved  by  his  liberality.  Such  a  kind  of  man,  then,  as  this 
was — most  learned,  most  chaste,  and  in  every  sense  most 
holy — what  fierce,  inclement,  and  cruel  persons  did  England 
at  that  time  contain ;  as  well  sovereigns  as  bishops ;  who, 
taking  counsel  together,  conspired  his  death  and  gave  him 
up  to  the  torturers  to  be  burned,  for  no  other  crime  than 
because  against  the  Roman  antichrist  he  asserted  for  Christ, 
as  very  man,  a  fixed,  and  not  a  shifting  seat  in  heaven;  and 
on  earth  the  supreme  government !  Oh  heavy  crimes,  on 
account  of  which  so  illustrious  a  prophet  and  bishop  of 
Christ  was  afflicted  with  so  heavy  a  penalty !  You  who 
conspired  his  death,  while  you  yet  live,  repent,  and  before  all 
men  acknowledge  and  confess  your  tyranny,  and  seek  with 
many  prayers  pardon  of  Almighty  God,  lest,  on  account  of 
your  horrible  wickedness,  this  whole  realm  should  suffer  the 
most  severe  punishments. 

Doctor  Taylor,  who  was  burnt  at  Hadley,  was  born  also 

[2  Hand-Ball,  called  by  the  French  "Jeu  de  paume"  (Palm-Play), 
and  in  Latin  "Pila  Palmaria."  It  may  be  denominated  hand  tennis, 
still  played  under  a  different  name,  and  probably  a  different  modifica 
tion  of  the  game,  resembling  that  now  called  FIVES.  Strutt's  Sports 
and  Pastimes  of  the  People  of  England,  book  n.  chap.  3,  p.  73—75. 
ED.] 


494  APPENDIX    III. 

in  Northumberland,  in  the  town  of  Rotlibury,  not  far  from 
•Redesdaie.  Ridesdalea.  With  this  man  I  lived  for  many  years  on  terms 
of  intimacy,  and  used  to  exhort  him  zealously  to  embrace 
the  evangelical  doctrine;  and  that  he  might  the  more  easily 
come  to  think  with  ourselves,  I  secretly  procured  for  him  the 
"  Unio  Dissidentium1,"  with  which  and  with  the  sermons  of 
Latimer  he  was  so  taken,  that  he  entered  with  readiness  into 
our  doctrine.  If  you  desire  to  know  more  particulars  of 
Latimer  than  are  written  in  your  book,  the  archbishop  of 
Canterbury  and  Doctor  Lancelot  Ridley  can  inform  you.  I 
greatly  regret  that  the  book  of  that  most  holy  martyr  Thorp2 
is  not  edited  in  the  old  English,  which  was  in  general  use 
at  the  time  in  which  he  lived.  For  so  great  an  admirer  am 
I  of  antiquity,  that  I  could  ill  bear  treasures  of  such  anti 
quity  to  perish  from  amongst  us.  On  which  account  I  feel 
no  great  obligations  to  those  persons,  who  have  translated 
Piers  Plowman3,  Gower,  and  Chaucer,  and  authors  of  a 
similar  stamp  into  a  mongrel  language,  neither  true  English 
nor  pure  French.  In  my  opinion,  therefore,  you  will  do  well, 
if  you  can  any  where  find  the  autograph  copy  of  Thorp,  to 
edit  it  in  that  language  in  which  he  wrote.  Consider,  I  pray 
you,  for  whose  sake  chiefly  you  have  written  your  book ; 
which  if  you  do,  I  doubt  not  that,  though  the  printer  will  be 

l^1  The  "Unio  Dissidentium  Tripartita"  was  an  important  book 
at  the  period  of  the  Reformation ;  as  is  plain  from  its  being  included 
in  a  short  list  of  books  prohibited  by  Cuthbert  Tunstall,  A.D.  1527. 
See  Wilkins.  We  find  also — "  The  abridgment  of '  Unio  Dissidentium', 
translated  out  of  Latin  into  English"  in  an  Index  Prohibitorius  given 
by  Fox  sub  an.  1546:  and  among  the  books  Incertorum  Auctorum 
prohibited  by  the  Roman  Inquisition  in  their  index,  Romse,  1559, 
and  by  Sixtus  V.,  A.D.  1589,  occurs  the  "Unio  Dissidentium  Tripar 
tita."  It  was  a  continental  production,  being  mentioned  in  the  sentence 
on  Richard  Bayfield,  Martyr,  (sub  an.  1531,)  among  various  books  im 
ported  by  him.  See  Fox.  ED.] 

Q8  This  refers  to  the  history  of  William  Thorpe's  persecution,  written 
by  himself.  Fox  published  it  in  his  Acts  and  Monuments,  altered  in  its 
language  by  William  Tyndale;  he  states,  however,  his  regret  at  not 
being  able  to  exhibit  it  in  its  original  diction,  and  adds  that  a  "Mr 
Whitehead"  (then  living)  "had  seen  the  true  ancient  copy  in  the 
hands  of  George  Constantine."  ED.] 

Q3  Piers  Plowman  or  Ploughman.  The  proper  title  is  "The  Plough 
man's  Complaint  against  the  abuses  of  the  world."  ED.] 


APPENDIX     TIL 


495 


enraged,  you  will  put  forth  a  book  of  greater  utility  to  the 
true  church ;  for,  such  useless  and  superfluous  matters  being 
omitted,  the  price  of  the  book  need  not  exceed  ten  shillings. 
Farewell,  dearest  brother. 

Yours, 
Wells,  Nov.  26.  WILLIAM  TURNER. 


APPENDIX   IV. 


Copy  of  the  Letter  of  STEPHEN  GARDINER  sent  to  MASTER 
RIDLEY  ;  containing  Matter  and  Objections  against  a 
certain  Sermon  of  the  said  MASTER  RIDLEY,  made  at 
the  Court. 

From  Fox,  Acts  and  Monuments. 

MASTER  RIDLEY,  after  right  hearty  commendations:  It 
chanced  me,  upon  Wednesday  last  past,  to  be  present  at 
your  sermon  in  the  court,  wherein  I  heard  you  confirm  the 
doctrine  in  religion  set  forth  by  our  late  sovereign  lord  and 
master,  whose  soul  God  pardon !  admonishing  your  audience 
that  ye  would  specially  travail  in  the  confutation  of  the 
bishop  of  Rome's  pretended  authority  in  government  and 
usurped  power,  and  in  pardons,  whereby  he  hath  abused 
himself  in  heaven  and  earth.  Which  two  matters  I  note  to 
be  plain,  and  here  without  controversy.  In  the  other  two 
ye  spake  of,  touching  images  and  ceremonies,  and  as  ye 
touched  it,  specially  for  holy  water  to  drive  away  devils ; 
for  that  you  declared  yourself  always  desirous  to  set  forth 
the  mere  truth,  with  great  desire  of  unity,  as  ye  professed; 
not  extending  any  your  asseveration  beyond  your  knowledge, 
but  always  adding  such  like  words,  'as  far  as  ye  had  read,1 
and,  'if  any  man  could  shew  you  further,  ye  would  hear 
him,"  (wherein  you  were  much  to  be  commended) — upon  these 
considerations,  and  for  the  desire  I  have  to  unity,  I  have 
thought  myself  bound  to  communicate  to  you  that  which  I 


496 


APPENDIX     IV. 


have  read  in  the  matter  of  images  and  holy  water;  to  the 
intent  you  may  by  yourself  consider  it,  and  so  weigh,  before 
that  ye  will  speak  in  those  two  points,  as  ye  may  (retaining 
your  own  principles)  affirm  still  that  ye  would  affirm,  and 
may  indeed  be  affirmed  and  maintained;  wherein  I  have 
seen  others  forget  themselves.  First,  I  send  unto  you  here 
with  (which  I  am  sure  ye  have  read),  what  Eusebius1  writeth 
of  images :  whereby  appeareth,  that  images  have  been  of 
great  antiquity  in  Christ's  church.  And  to  say  we  may  have 
images,  or  to  call  on  them  when  they  represent  Christ  or 
his  saints,  be  over  gross  opinions  to  enter  into  your  learned 
head,  whatsoever  the  unlearned  would  tattle :  for  you  know 
the  text  of  the  old  law,  Non  fades  tibi  sculptile,  for- 
biddeth  no  more  images  now,  than  another  text  forbiddeth 
to  us  puddings.  And  if  omnia  be  munda  mundis  to  the 
belly,  there  can  be  no  cause  why  they  should  be  of  them 
selves  impura  to  the  eye,  wherein  ye  can  say  much  more. 
And  then,  when  we  have  images,  to  call  them  idols  is  a 
like  fault  in  fond  folly,  as  if  a  man  would  call  regem  a 
tyrant,  and  then  bring  in  old  writers  to  prove  that  tyran- 
nus  signified  once  a  king,  like  as  idolum  signified  once  an 
image :  but  like  as  ti/rannus  was  by  consent  of  men  appro 
priated  to  signify  a  usurper  of  that  dignity,  and  an  untrue 
king,  so  hath  idolum  been  likewise  appropriate  to  signify 
a  false  representation,  and  a  false  image :  insomuch  as  there 
was  a  solemn  anathematization  of  all  those  that  would  call 
an  image  an  idol ;  as  he  were  worthy  to  be  hanged  that 
would  call  the  king  our  master  (God  save  him  !) — our  true 
just  king,  a  tyrant ;  and  yet  in  talk  he  might  shew,  that  a 
tyrant  signified  sometimes  a  king:  but  speech  is  regarded 
in  its  present  signification,  which  I  doubt  not  ye  can  consider 
right  well. 

I  verily  think,  that  for  the  having  of  images  ye  will  say 
enough;  and  that  also,  when  we  have  them,  we  should  not 
despise  them  in  speech,  to  call  them  idols,  nor  despise  them 
with  deeds,  to  mangle  them  or  cut  them;  but  at  the  least 
suffer  them  to  stand  untorn.  Wherein  Luther  (that  pulled 
away  all  other  regard  to  them)  strove  stoutly,  and  obtained, 

[]  Hist.  Eccles.  lib.  vn.  cap.  18.     ED.] 


APPENDIX     IV. 


497 


as  I  have  seen  in  divers  of  the  churches  in  Germany  of  his 
reformation,  that  they  should  (as  they  do)  still  stand. 

All  the  matter  to  be  feared  is  excess  in  worshipping, 
wherein  the  church  of  Rome  hath  been  very  precise;  and 
especially  Gregory,  writing  to  the  bishop  of  Marseilles : 
which  is  contained  in  the  chapter  De  Consecmtione,  dist.  3, 
as  followeth: 

*  Perlatum  ad  nos  fuerat,  quod  inconsiderato  zelo  suc- 
census,  sanctorum  imagines  sub  hac  quasi  excusatione,  ne 
adorari  debuissent,  confregeris.  Et  quidem  eas  adorari  te 
vetuisse,  omnino  laudamus:  fregisse  vero  reprehendimus. 
Die,  frater,  a  quo  factum  esse  sacerdote  aliquando  auditum 
est,  quod  fecisti  ?*****  Aliud  est  enim  picturam  adorare ; 
aliud  per  picturam  historiam,  quid  sit  adorandum,  addiscere. 
Nam  quod  legentibus  scriptura,  hoc  idiotis  prsestat  pictura 
cernentibus,  quia  in  ipsa  etiam  ignorantes  vident,  quid  sequi 
debeant:  in  ipsa  legunt,  qui  literas  nesciunt.  Unde  et  prae- 
cipue  gentibus  pro  lectione  pictura  est3.' 

Herein  is  forbidden  adoration,  and  then,  in  the  Sixth 
Synod,  was  declared  what  manner  of  adoration  is  forbidden; 
that  is  to  say,  godly  adoration  to  it  being  a  creature,  as  is 
contained  in  the  chapter  Venembiles  imagines,  in  the  same 
distinction,  in  this  wise : 

'  Venerabiles  imagines  Christiani  non  Deos  appellant, 
neque  serviunt  eis  ut  Diis,  neque  spem  salutis  ponunt  in 
eis,  neque  ab  eis  expectant  futurum  judicium :  sed  ad  me- 
moriam  et  recordationem  primitivorum  venerantur  eas  et 
adorant;  sed  non  serviunt  eis  cultu  divino,  nee  alicui 
creaturseV 

By  which  doctrine  all  idolatry  is  plainly  excluded  in 
evident  words;  so  as  we  cannot  say,  that  the  worshipping 
of  images  had  its  beginning  by  popery ;  for  Gregory  forbade 
it,  unless  we  shall  call  that  synod  popery,  because  there 
were  so  many  bishops.  And  yet  there  is  forbidden  cultus 
diwnus;  and  agreeth  with  our  aforesaid  doctrine,  by  which 
we  may  creep  before  the  cross  on  Good  Friday;  wherein 
we  have  the  image  of  the  crucifix  in  honour,  and  use  it  in  a 

[2  See  Corpus  Juris  Canonici  a  Pithseo.     Paris,  1695,  vol.  i.  p.  467. 
ED.] 

[3  Ibid..  ED.] 

32 
[RIDLEY.] 


498  APPENDIX    IV. 

worshipful  place,  and  so  earnestly  look  on  it,  and  conceive 
that  [which]  it  signifieth,  as  we  kneel  and  creep  before  it, 
whilst  it  lieth  there,  and  whilst  that  remembrance  is  in 
exercise:  with  which  cross  nevertheless  the  sexton,  when 
he  goeth  for  a  cross,  will  not  be  afraid  to  be  homely,  and 
holdeth  it  under  his  gown  whilst  he  drinketh  a  pot  of  ale ; 
a  point  of  homeliness  that  might  be  left,  but  yet  it  declareth 
that  he  esteemed  no  divinity  in  the  image.  But  ever  since 
I  was  born,  a  poor  parishioner,  a  layman,  durst  be  so  bold 
at  a  shift  (if  he  were  also  churchwarden),  to  sell  to  the 
use  of  the  church  at  length,  and  his  own  in  the  mean  time, 
the  silver  cross  on  Easter  Monday,  that  was  creeped  unto 
on  Good  Friday. 

In  specialties  there  have  been  special  abuses;  but,  gene 
rally,  images  have  been  taken  for  images,  with  an  office  to 
signify  a  holy  remembrance  of  Christ  and  his  saints.  And 
as  the  sound  of  speech  uttered  by  a  lively  image,  and  repre 
senting  to  the  understanding,  by  the  sense  of  hearing,  godly 
matter,  doth  stir  up  the  mind,  and  therewith  the  body,  to 
consent  in  outward  gesture  of  worshipful  regard  to  that 
sound :  so  doth  the  object  of  the  image,  by  the  sight,  work 
like  effect  in  man  within  and  without;  wherein  is  verily 
worshipped  that  we  understand,  and  yet  reverence  and  wor 
ship  also  shewed  to  that  whereby  we  attain  that  understand 
ing,  and  is  to  us  in  the  place  of  an  instrument;  so  as  it 
hath  no  worship  of  itself,  but  remaineth  in  its  nature  of 
stone  or  timber,  silver,  copper,  or  gold.  But  when  it  is  in 
office,  and  worketh  a  godly  remembrance  in  us  by  repre 
sentation  of  the  thing  signified  unto  us,  then  we  use  it  wor- 
shipfully  and  honourably,  as  many  do  the  priest  at  mass, 
whom  they  little  regard  all  the  day  after. 

And  me  thinketh  ever,  that  like  as  it  is  an  over  gross 
error  to  take  an  image  for  God,  or  to  worship  it  with  godly 
honour,  so  to  grant  that  we  may  not  have  images  of  Christ, 
and  that  we  may  do  no  worship  before  them,  or  not  use 
them  worshipfully,  it  is  inexplicable.  For  it  is  one  kind  of 
worship,  to  place  them  worshipfully;  so  as  if  a  man  place  an 
image  in  the  church,  or  hang  it  about  his  neck  (as  all  use 
to  do  the  image  of  the  cross,  and  the  knights  of  the  order  of 
St  George),  this  is  some  piece  of  worship.  And  if  we  may 


APPENDIX    IV.  499 

not  contemn  the  images  of  Christ  and  his  saints,  when  we 
have  them  (for  that  were  villany),  nor  neglect  them  (for  that 
were  to  have  them  without  use,  which  were  inconvenient, 
quia  nee  natura  nee  arte  quicquam  fit  frustra^)  we  must  have 
them  in  estimation  and  reputation ;  which  is  not  without 
some  honour  and  worship ;  and  at  the  least  in  the  place 
where  we  conveniently  use  them  (as  in  the  church),  as  where 
they  serve  us  rather  than  we  them.  And  because  their 
service  is  worshipful,  they  be  so  regarded  accordingly  for 
that  time  of  service,  and  therefore  they  be  called  venembiles 
imagines,  and  be  worshipfully  ordered ;  before  whom  we  kneel, 
and  bow,  and  cense,  not  at  that  the  images  be,  but  at  that 
the  images  signify,  which  in  our  kneeling,  bowing,  and 
censing  we  acknowledge  to  understand  and  read  in  that 
fashion  of  contracted  writing,  wherein  is  wrapped  up  a  great 
many  of  sentences,  suddenly  opened  with  one  sudden  sight, 
to  him  that  hath  been  exercised  in  reading  of  them. 

And  me  seemeth,  after  the  faith  of  Christ  received  and 
known,  and  thoroughly  purged  from  heresies,  if  by  chance 
there  were  offered  a  choice,  either  to  retain  painting  and 
graving  and  forbear  writing,  or,  choosing  writing,  to  forbear 
both  the  other  gifts ;  it  would  be  a  problem,  seeing  if  graving 
were  taken  away  we  could  have  no  printing.  And  therefore 
they  that  press  so  much  the  words  of  Non  fades  tibi  sculp- 
tile,  ever,  me  thinketh,  they  condemn  printed  books;  the 
original  whereof  is  of  graving  to  make  matrices  literarum. 
Sed  hoc  est  furiosum,  et  sunt  tamen  qui  putant  palmarium. 
And  therefore  now  it  is  Englished,  "  Thou  shalt  make  no 
graven  images,  lest  thou  worship  them:"  which,  I  hear,  is 
newly  written  in  the  new  church,  I  know  not  the  name,  but 
not  far  from  the  Old  Jewry1. 

But  to  the  matter  of  images,  wherein  I  have  discoursed 
at  large,  I  think,  if  ye  consider  (as  I  doubt  not  but  that  ye 
will)  the  doctrine  set  forth  by  our  late  sovereign  lord,  ye 
shall  in  the  matter  see  the  truth  set  forth  by  such  as  had 
that  committed  unto  them  under  his  highness,  amongst  whom 
I  was  not,  nor  was  I  privy  unto  it  till  it  was  done.  And 
yet  the  clause  in  the  book,  for  discussion  of  "the  Lord," 
and  "our  Lord,"  hath  made  many  think  otherwise.  But  I 
['  Probably  St  Stephen's,  Coleman  Street.  ED.] 


500  APPENDIX    IV. 

take  our  Lord  to  witness,  I  was  not ;  and  that  declaration  of 
"our  Lord"  was  his  highnesses  own  device,  ex  se.  For  he 
saw  the  fond  Englishing  of  "  the  Lord  "  dissevered  in  speech, 
whom  our  Lord  had  congregated.  And  this  I  add,  lest, 
giving  authority  to  that  book,  I  should  seem  to  vaunt  myself. 

Now  will  I  speak  somewhat  of  holy  water1,  wherein  I 
send  unto  you  the  four  and  thirtieth  chapter  in  the  ninth 
book  of  the  History  Tripartite,  where  Marcellus  the  bishop 
bade  Equitius  his  deacon  to  cast  abroad  water,  by  him  first 
hallowed,  wherewith  to  drive  away  the  devil.  And  it  is 
noted  how  the  devil  could  not  abide  the  virtue  of  the  water, 
but  vanished  away.  And  for  my  part,  it  seemeth  the  history 
may  be  true;  for  we  be  assured  by  Scripture,  that  in  the 
name  of  God  the  church  is  able  and  strong  to  cast  out 
devils,  according  to  the  gospel,  In  nomine  meo  dcewionia 
ejicient,  fyc,:  so  as  if  the  water  were  away,  by  only  calling 
on  the  name  of  God,  that  mastery  may  be  wrought.  And 
the  virtue  of  the  effect  being  only  attributed  to  the  name  of 
God,  the  question  should  be  only,  whether  the  creature  of 
water  may  have  the  office  to  convey  the  effect  of  the  holi 
ness  of  the  invocation  of  God's  name.  And  first,  in  Christ 
the  skirt  of  his  garment  had  such  an  office  to  minister 
health  to  the  woman,  and  spittle  and  clay  to  the  blind ;  and 
St  Peter's  shadow,  and  St  Paul's  handkerchiefs. 

And,  leaving  old  stories,  here  at  home  the  special  gift  of 
curation,  ministered  by  the  kings  of  this  realm  (not  of  their 
own  strength,  but  by  invocation  of  the  name  of  God),  hath 
been  used  to  be  distributed  in  rings  of  gold  and  silver.  And 
I  think  effectually  therein  the  metal  hath  only  an  office, 
and  the  strength  is  in  the  name  of  God,  wherein  all  is 
wrought.  And  Eliseus  put  his  staff  in  like  office.  And  why 
the  whole  church  might  not  put  water  in  like  office,  to  con 
vey  abroad  the  invocation  of  God's  name,  there  is  no  scrip 
ture  to  the  contrary:  but  there  is  scripture,  how  other 

1  'Holy  water/  Consecration  of  water  and  salt  to  sanctify  the 
people,  is  attributed  to  Alexander  I.  but  for  what  credit  is  to  be  given 
to  those  decrees,  falsely  fathered  upon  those  ancient  bishops,  read  Sleidan, 
lib.  ii.  de  Monach.  '  In  nomine  meo/  &c.  If  the  name  of  Christ  only  do 
and  can  serve  to  cast  out  devils,  what  should  water  do,  where  Christ 
only  may  and  should  serve  to  work  that  mastery?  Fox. 


APl'KNDIX    IV.  501 

inferior  creatures  have  been  promoted  to  like  dignity;  and 
much  scripture,  how  water  hath  been  used  in  like  and  greater 
service.  And  the  story  1  send  unto  you  sheweth  how  water 
hath  been  used  in  the  same  service,  to  drive  away  devils. 
In  which  matter  if  any  shall  say,  he  believeth  not  the  story, 
and  he  is  not  bound  to  believe  it,  being  no  scripture;  that 
man  is  not  to  be  reasoned  with,  for  the  effect  of  the  king's 
cramp  rings.  And  yet,  for  such  effect  as  they  have  wrought, 
when  I  was  in  France,  I  have  been  myself  much  honoured ; 
and  of  all  sorts  entreated  to  have  them,  with  offer  of  as  much 
for  them,  as  they  were  double  worth. 

Some  will  say,  "What  are  rings  to  holy  water?"  Marry 
thus  I  say,  If  the  metal  of  gold  and  silver  may  do  service 
to  carry  abroad  the  invocation  of  the  name  of  God  effec 
tually  for  one  purpose,  water  may  also  serve  to  carry  abroad 
the  invocation  of  the  name  of  God,  wherewith  to  drive  away 
devils.  Hereto  will  be  said,  Non  valet  argumentum  a  posse 
ad  esse:  but  the  story  saith,  "The  water  did  that  service;1" 
and  other  strangers  say  and  affirm  by  experience,  "  The 
king's  majesty's  rings  have  done  the  service."  And  our  late 
master  continued  all  his  life  the  exercise  of  that  gift  of  God, 
and  used  silver  and  gold  to  do  that  service,  to  carry  abroad 
the  strength  of  the  invocation  of  the  name  of  God  by  him ; 
and  he  used  it  amongst  us  that  served  him  in  it,  when  he 
had  thoroughly  heard  and  seen  what  might  be  said  in  the 
matter:  and  yet  he  had  no  scripture  especially  for  it,  that 
spake  of  rings  of  silver  or  gold,  no  more  than  is  for  the 
ashes  ministered  a  little  before  ye  last  preached.  And  as 
our  young  sovereign  lord  hath  received  them  reverently,  so 
I  trust  he  shall  be  advertised,  ne  negligat  gratiam  Dei  in 
dono  curationum,  but  follow  his  father  therein;  also  not 
doubting  but  God  will  hear  him,  as  he  hath  heard  his  father 
and  other  his  progenitors,  kings  of  this  realm ;  to  whose 
dignity  God  addeth  this  prerogative,  as  he  doth  also  to  in 
ferior  ministers  of  his  church,  in  the  effect  of  their  prayer, 
when  it  pleaseth  him.  A  man  might  find  some  youngling, 
percasea,  that  would  say,  how  worldly,  wily,  witty  bishops  •  perchance. 
have  inveigled  simple  kings  heretofore,  and,  to  confirm  their 
blessings,  have  also  devised  how  kings  should  bless  also,  and 
so  have  authority  to  maintain  where  truth  failed ;  and  I  have 


502  APPENDIX    IV. 

had  it  objected  to  me,  that  I  used  to  prove  one  piece  of 
mine  argument  ever  by  a  king,  as  when  I  reasoned  thus : 
If  ye  allow  nothing  but  scripture,  what  say  you  to  the 
king^s  rings?  but  they  be  allowed;  ergo,  somewhat  is  to  be 
allowed  besides  scripture.  And  another:  If  images  be  for 
bidden,  why  doth  the  king  wear  St  George  on  his  breast? 
But  he  weareth  St  George  on  his  breast :  ergo,  images  be 
not  forbidden.  If  saints  be  not  to  be  worshipped,  why  keep 
we  St  George's  feast?  But  we  keep  St  George's  feast: 
ergo,  &c.  And  in  this  matter  of  holy  water,  if  the  strength 
of  the  invocation  of  the  name  of  God,  to  drive  away  the 
devils,  cannot  be  distributed  by  water,  why  can  it  be  dis 
tributed  in  silver  to  drive  away  diseases,  and  the  dangerous 
disease  of  the  falling  evil?  But  the  rings  hallowed  by  the 
holy  church  may  do  so :  ergo,  the  water  hallowed  by  the 
church  may  do  like  service. 

These  were  sore  arguments  in  his  time,  and  I  trust  be 
also  yet ;  and  may  be  conveniently  used,  to  such  as  would 
never  make  an  end  of  talk,  but  rake  up  every  thing  that 
their  dull  sight  cannot  penetrate,  wherein  me  thought  ye 
spake  effectually,  when  ye  said,  "  Men  must  receive  the  de 
termination  of  the  particular  church,  and  obey  where  God's 
law  repugneth  not  expressly."  And  in  this  effect  to  drive 
away  devils,  that  prayer  and  invocation  of  the  church  may 
do  it,  scripture  maintaineth  evidently;  and  the  same  scrip 
ture  doth  authorise  us  so  to  pray,  and  encourageth  us  to 
it — so  as  if,  in  discussion  of  holy  water,  we  attribute  all 
the  effect  of  the  holiness  which  proceedeth  from  God  by 
invocation  of  the  church,  and  take  water  only  for  a  servant 
to  carry  abroad  holiness,  there  can  be  no  superstition,  where 
men  regard  only  prayer,  which  scripture  authoriseth.  And 
if  we  shall  say  that  the  water  cannot  do  such  service,  we 
shall  be  convinced,  in  that  it  doth  a  greater  service  in  our 
baptism  by  God's  special  ordinance — so  as  we  cannot  say, 
that  water  cannot,  or  is  not  apt  to  do  this  service ;  only 
the  stay  is,  to  have  a  precise  place  in  the  New  Testament, 
to  say,  "  Use  water  thus  in  this  service,  as  we  do  in  holy 
water;"  which  me  thinketh  needed  not,  where  all  is  ordered 
to  be  well  used  by  us:  and  when  the  whole  church  agreed 
upon  such  a  use,  or  any  particular  church,  or  the  common 


APPENDIX     IV.  503 

minister  of  it,  and  by  the  exorcism  ordered  for  it  the  thing 
to  be  used  purged,  there  can  be  but  slender  matter  to  im 
prove  that  custom,  wherein  God  is  only  honoured,  and  the 
power  of  his  name  set  forth ;  whereunto  all  things  bow  and 
give  place,  all  natural  operation  set  apart  and  secluded.  And 
when  any  man  hath  denied  that  water  may  do  service,  be 
cause  scripture  appointeth  it  not,  that  "because"  driveth 
away  much  of  the  rest  which  the  church  useth,  and  espe 
cially  our  cramp-rings.  For  if  water  may  not  serve  to  carry 
abroad  the  effects  of  God's  grace,  obtained  by  invocation 
from  God,  by  the  common  prayer  of  the  church,  how  can 
the  metal  of  silver  or  gold  carry  abroad  the  effect  of  the 
king's  invocation  in  the  cramp-rings?  Which  manner  of  rea 
soning  ad  hominem  Christ  used  with  the  Jews,  when  he 
said,  Si  ego  in  Beelzebub  ejicio  dcemonia,  filii  vestri  in 
quo  ejiciunt?  And  that  by  our  own  principles  we  should 
be  enforced  to  say,  that  our  cramp-rings  be  superstitious 
(where  truth  enforceth  us  not  so  to  do),  it  were  a  mar 
vellous  punishment.  Si  cceci  essemus,  as  Christ  saith,  pec- 
catum  non  haberemus,  sed  videmus ;  and  this  realm  hath 
learning  in  it,  and  you  a  good  portion  thereof;  according 
whereunto  I  doubt  not  but  you  will  weigh  this  matter,  non 
ad  popularem  trutinam,  sed  artificis  stateram:  I  mean,  that 
artificer  which  teacheth  the  church  our  mother  (as  ye  fully 
declared  it),  and  ordered  our  mother  to  give  nourishment 
unto  us.  In  which  point,  speaking  of  the  church,  although 
ye  touched  an  unknown  church  to  us,  and  known  to  God 
only,  yet  you  declared  the  union  of  that  church  in  the  per- 
mixt  church,  which  God  ordereth  men  to  complain  unto 
and  to  hear  again ;  wherein  the  absurdity  is  taken  away  of 
them  that  would  have  no  church  known,  but  every  man 
believe  as  he  were  inwardly  taught  himself;  whereupon  fol- 
loweth  the  old  proverb,  2ot  //ei/  rauTa  SOKOVVT  €GTIU,  e/uoi 
$€  TaSe ;  which  is  far  from  the  unity  ye  so  earnestly  wished 
for,  whereof  (as  me  thought)  ye  said,  "Pride  is  the  let;" 
as  it  is  undoubtedly.  Which  fault  God  amend,  and  give 
you  grace  so  to  fashion  your  words,  as  ye  may  agree  with 
them  in  speech,  with  whom  ye  be  inclined  to  agree  in 
opinion  !  For  that  is  the  way  to  relieve  the  world. 

And  albeit  there  hath  been  between  you  and  me  no  fa- 


504 


APPENDIX     IV. 


miliarity,   but,   contrariwise,   a  little   disagreement  (which   I 
did  not  hide  from  you),  yet,  considering  the  fervent  zeal  ye 
professed   to  teach   Peter's  true   doctrine,    that    is    to    say, 
Christ's  true   doctrine,   whereunto   ye  thought   the    doctrine 
of  images,  and  holy  water  to  put  away  devils,  agreed  not ; 
I   have  willingly  spent  this  time  to  communicate  unto  you 
my  folly  (if  it  be  folly)  plainly  as  it  is;  whereupon  ye  may 
have   occasion  the  more  substantially,  fully,  and   plainly  to 
open  these  matters  for  the  relief  of  such  as  be  fallen  from 
the  truth,  and  confirmation  of  those  that  receive  and  follow 
it;   wherein  it  hath  been  ever  much   commended,  to  have 
such  regard  to  histories  of  credit,  and  the  continual  use  of 
the  church,  rather  to  shew  how  a  thing  continued  from  the 
beginning,  as  holy  water  and  images  have  done,  may  be  well 
used,  than  to  follow  the  light  rash  eloquence,  which  is  ever 
ad  manum,  to  mock  and  improve  that  which  is  established. 
And  yet  again,  I  come  to   Marcellus,  that  made  a  cross  in 
the  water,  and  bade  his  deacon  cast  it  abroad  cum  fide  et 
zelo;  after  which  sort  if  our  holy  water  were  used,  I  doubt 
not    but   there    be   many   MarcelWs,   and  many   Eliseus's, 
and  many  at   whose   prayer   God   forgiveth  sin,   if  such  as 
will  enjoy  that  prayer  have  faith  and  zeal,  as  Equitius,  and 
were  as  desirous   to   drive   the   devil   out   of  the   temple   of 
their  body  and  soul,  as  Equitius  out  of  the  temple  of  Ju 
piter.      So   as   if  holy   use   were   coupled   with  holy  water, 
there  should  be  more  plenty  of  holiness  than  there  is;  but, 
as  men  be  profane  in  their  living,  so  they  cannot  abide  to 
have  any  thing  effectually  holy,  not  so  much  as  bread  and 
water ;  fearing  lest  they  should  take  away  sin  from  us,  which 
we  love  so  dearly  well.     /Solus  Christus  peccata  diluit,  who 
sprinkleth  his  blood  by  his  ministers,  as  he  hath  taught  his 
spouse  the  church,  in  which  those  ministers  be  ordered,  where 
in  "many  ways  maketh  not  many  saviours,"  as  ignorants  do 
jest ;  whereof  I  need  not  speak  further  unto  you,  no  more  I 
needed  not  in  the  rest  in  respect  of  you ;  but,  me  thought, 
ye  conjured  all  men  in  your  sermon  to  say  what  they  thought 
to  you,  Id  quod  hanc  mihi  expressit  epistolam,  quam  boni 
consumes;  Et  vale. 

Your  loving  friend, 

STEPHEN   WINCHESTER. 


APPENDIX  V. 


Letter  from  the  Protector  Edward,  Diike  of  Somerset,  to 
DR  RIDLEY. 

From  BURNET. 

AFTER  our  right  hearty  commendations  to  your  lordship, 
we  have  received  your  letters  of  the  first  of  June,  again 
replying  to  those  which  we  last  sent  unto  you.  And  as  it 
appeareth,  ye,  yet  remaining  in  your  former  request,  desire, 
if  things  do  occur  so,  that  according  to  your  conscience  ye 
cannot  do  them,  that  you  might  absent  yourself,  or  other 
wise  keep  silence.  We  would  be  loth  any  thing  should  be 
done  by  the  king's  majesty's  visitors,  otherwise  than  right 
and  conscience  might  allow  and  approve :  and  visitation  is 
to  direct  things  to  the  better,  not  to  the  worse ;  to  ease  con 
sciences,  not  to  clog  them.  Marry,  we  would  wish  that 
executors  thereof  should  not  be  scrupulous  in  conscience, 
otherwise  than  reason  would.  Against  your  conscience,  it 
is  not  our  will  to  move  you,  as  we  would  not  gladly  do,  or 
move  any  man  to  that  which  is  against  right  and  conscience ; 
and  we  trust  the  king's  majesty  hath  not  in  this  matter. 
And  we  think  in  this  ye  do  much  wrong,  and  much  discredit 
the  other  visitors,  that  ye  should  seem  to  think  and  suppose, 
that  they  would  do  things  against  conscience.  We  take 
them  to  be  men  of  that  honour  and  honesty,  that  they  will 
not.  My  lord  of  Canterbury  hath  declared  unto  us,  that 
this  maketh  partly  a  conscience  unto  you,  that  divines  should 
be  diminished.  That  can  be  no  cause ;  for,  first,  the  same 
was  met  before  in  the  late  king's  time,  to  unite  the  two  col 
leges  together ;  as  we  are  sure  ye  have  heard,  and  Sir  Edward 
North  can  tell :  and  for  that  cause,  all  such  as  were  students 
of  the  law,  out  of  the  new  erected  cathedral  church,  were 
disappointed  of  their  livings,  only  reserved  to  have  been  in 
that  civil  college.  The  King's  hall  being  in  manner  all  law 
yers,  canonists  were  turned  and  joined  to  Michael-house, 
and  made  a  college  of  divines,  wherewith  the  number  of  di 
vines  was  much  augmented,  civilians  diminished.  Now  at 


506  APPENDIX    V. 

this  present  also,  if  in  all  other  colleges,  where  lawyers  be 
by  the  statutes,  or  the  king's  injunctions  ye  do  convert 
them,  or  the  more  part  of  them,  to  divines,  ye  shall  rather 
have  more  divines  upon  this  change  than  ye  had  before. 
The  King's  college  should  have  six  lawyers ;  Jesus  college 
some ;  the  Queen's  college,  and  other,  one  or  two  apiece ; 
and,  as  we  are  informed,  by  the  late  king's  injunctions,  every 
college  in  Cambridge  one  at  the  least :  all  these  together  do 
make  a  greater  in  number,  than  the  fellows  of  Clare-hall 
be,  and  they  now  made  divines,  and  the  statutes  in  that 
reformed  divinity  shall  not  be  diminished  in  number  of 
students,  but  increased,  as  appeareth,  although  these  two 
colleges  be  so  united.  And  we  are  sure  ye  are  not  ignorant, 
how  necessary  a  study  that  study  of  civil  law  is  to  all  trea 
ties  with  foreign  princes  and  strangers,  and  how  few  there 
be  at  this  present  to  do  the  king's  majesty's  service  there 
in.  For  we  would  the  increase  of  divines,  as  well  as  you. 
Marry,  necessity  compelleth  us  also  to  maintain  the  science ; 
and  we  require  you,  my  lord,  to  have  consideration  how 
much  you  do  hinder  the  king's  majesty's  proceedings  in  that 
visitation :  if  now  you,  who  are  one  of  the  visitors,  should 
thus  draw  back  and  discourage  the  other,  ye  should  much 
hinder  the  whole  doings;  and  peradventure  that  thing 
known,  maketh  the  master  and  fellows  of  Clare-hall  to  stand 
the  more  obstinate ;  wherefore  we  require  you  to  have  re 
gard  of  the  king's  majesty's  honour,  and  the  quiet  perform- 
ings  of  that  visitation,  most  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  benefit 
of  that  university ;  the  which  thing  is  only  meant  in  your 
instructions.  To  the  performing  of  that,  and  in  that  man 
ner,  we  can  be  content  you  use  your  doings  as  ye  think  best, 
for  the  quieting  of  your  conscience.  Thus  we  bid  you  right 
heartily  farewell.  From  Richmond,  the  10th  of  June,  1549. 

Your  loving  friend, 

E.  SOMERSET. 


APPENDIX  VI. 


The  King's1  Letter  to  NICHOLAS  RIDLEY,  Bishop  of 
London,  fyc. 

From  BURNET. 

EIGHT  reverend  father  in  God,  right  trusty  and  well- 
beloved,  we  greet  you  well.  And  whereas  it  is  come  to  our 
knowledge,  that  the  altars  within  the  most  part  of  the 
churches  of  this  realm  being  already  upon  good  and  godly 
considerations  taken  down,  there  do  yet  remain  altars  stand 
ing  in  divers  other  churches,  by  occasion  whereof  much 
variance  and  contention  ariseth  among  sundry  of  our  sub 
jects,  which,  if  good  foresight  were  not  had,  might  perchance 
engender  great  hurt  and  inconvenience ;  we  let  you  wit,  that, 
minding  to  have  all  occasion  of  contention  taken  away,  which 
many  times  groweth  by  those  and  such  like  diversities,  and 
considering  that,  amongst  other  things  belonging  to  our 
royal  office  and  cure,  we  do  account  the  greatest  to  be,  to 
maintain  the  common  quiet  of  our  realm ;  we  have  thought 
good,  by  the  advice  of  our  council,  to  require  you,  and 
nevertheless  specially  to  charge  and  command  you,  for  the 
avoiding  of  all  matters  of  further  contention  and  strife  about  Altars  taken 
the  standing  or  taking  away  of  the  said  altars,  to  give  sub-  destroyed. 
stantial  order  throughout  all  your  diocese,  that  with  all  dili 
gence  all  the  altars  in  every  church  or  chapel,  as  well  in 
places  exempted  as  not  exempted,  within  your  said  diocese, 
be  taken  down ;  and  instead  thereof  a  table  be  set  up  in 
some  convenient  part  of  the  chancel,  within  every  such 

church  or  chapel,  to  serve  for  the  ministration  of  the  blessed  considera 
tions  to 

communion.  And  to  the  intent  the  same  may  be  done 
without  the  offence  of  such  our  loving  subjects  as  be  not 
yet  so  well  persuaded  in  that  behalf  as  we  would  wish,  we 
send  unto  you  herewith  certain  considerations  gathered  and 

C1  Edward  VI.     ED.] 


508  APPENDIX    VI. 

collected,  that  make  for  the  purpose ;  the  which,  and  such 
other  as  you  shall  think  meet  to  be  set  forth  to  persuade 
the  weak  to  embrace  our  proceedings  in  this  part,  we  pray 
you  cause  to  be  declared  to  the  people  by  some  discreet 
preachers,  in  such  places  as  you  shall  think  meet,  before 
the  taking  down  of  the  said  altars;  so  as  both  the  weak 
consciences  of  others  may  be  instructed  and  satisfied  as  much 
as  may  be,  and  this  our  pleasurce  the  more  quietly  executed. 
For  the  better  doing  whereof,  we  require  you  to  open  the 
aforesaid  considerations  in  that  our  cathedral  church  in  your 
own  person,  if  you  conveniently  may,  or  otherwise,  by  your 
chancellor,  or  some  other  grave  preacher,  both  there  and 
in  such  other  market  towns,  and  most  notable  places  of 
your  diocese,  as  you  may  think  most  requisite. 

Given   under  our  signet,  at  our  palace  of  Westminster, 
the  24th  day  of  November,  the  fourth  year  of  our  reign. 

Edward  Somerset,  William  North, 

Thomas  Cranmer,  Edward  Clinton, 

William  Wiltshire,  H.  Wentworth, 

John  Warwick,  Thomas  Ely. 
John  Bedford, 


NOTES. 


NOTE  A. 

SCOTUS  in  lib.  v.  sent.  dist.  2.  quest.  3.  (as  quoted  by  Du  Plessy, 
in  his  "Four  books  on  the  Institution,  use,  and  doctrine  of  the 
Eucharist,"  p.  472,  Lond.  1660,)  says:  "Innocent  III.,  a  great  pro 
moter  of  this  monster,  moveth  this  monstrous  and  brutish  question 
(lib.  iv.  c.  19.)  'What  eateth  the  mouse  when  she  gnaweth  the 
Sacrament?'  Lombard  (lib.  iv.  dist.  13.)  has  answered,  'God  know- 
eth/  And  notwithstanding  towards  the  end  he  remarks,  'It  may 
be  safely  said,  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  not  taken  by  beasts.'  But 
the  school  of  Sorbonne  hath  noted,  ( Hie  magister  non  tenetur ;'  others 
follow  not  the  judgment  of  the  Master  of  the  Sentences  on  this  point. 
John  de  Burgo  (de  custod.  Euch.  c.  10.)  very  grossly:  'The  mouse 
does  take  the  body  of  Christ.'  Innocent  more  subtilely:  'The  bread 
passes  away  miraculously  when  the  body  cometh,  and  the  body  passeth 
and  getteth  itself  away  when  the  mouse  draweth  near,  and  the  bread 
cometh  into  his  place  again'."  Du  Plessy,  p.  470. 

NOTE  B. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  observe  that  the  genuineness  of  the  two 
passages  of  Saint  Chrysostom  quoted  in  this  treatise  has  been  sus 
pected.  Archbishop  Usher  (in  the  preface  of  his  answer  to  the  Jesuit's 
Challenge)  remarks  that  the  words,  "  in  quibus  non  est  verum  corpus 
Christi,  sed  mysterium  corporis  ejus  continetur,"  were  wholly  omitted  in 
the  Antwerp  Edition  of  1537,  the  Paris  Edition  of  1543,  and  in  that  of 
Audoenus  Parvus,  printed  also  at  Paris  in  1557 :  in  the  more  ancient 
copies,  that  for  instance  of  1487,  Usher  found  the  words,  and  that  with 
out  any  note  of  suspicion.  The  Paris  Edition  of  1536  (apud  Claud. 
Chevallonium)  has  them,  and  thus  it  would  appear  that  the  earliest 
edition  which  omits  the  passage  in  question  is  that  (apud  Johan.  Steel- 
sium)  of  Antwerp,  anno  1537. 

The  "Epistola  ad  Caesarium  Monachum"  was  first  published  by 
Peter  Martyr,  and  immediately  declared  by  his  opponents  to  be  a 
forgery  of  his  own ;  but  Bigotius,  who  had  transcribed  it  from  a  MS. 
in  the  library  of  St  Mark's  Monastery  at  Florence,  and  prepared  it 
for  the  press  in  his  edition  of  Palladius,  asserted  and  proved  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  learned  that  it  was  the  work  of  Chrysostom.  The 
sheets  were  however  cancelled,  and  the  publication  of  them  pro 
hibited. 

In  the  Benedictine  Edition,  the  first  volume  of  which  was  pub 
lished  by  Montfaucon  at  Paris  in  1717,  the  letter  is  printed,  and  a 


510  NOTES. 

satisfactory  epitome  of  its  history  given — the  Editors  have  however, 
though  it  would  appear  on  insufficient  grounds,  decided  that  it  is  not 
genuine.  Neither  the  "Opus  Imperfectum,"  nor  the  "Epistola  ad 
Caesarium,"  are  extant  in  the  Greek,  save  a  few  fragments  of  the 
latter. 

NOTE  C. 

There  were  various  services  of  the  Roman  Church. 

Scala  Cceli — was  an  indulgence  granted  to  those  who  visited  cer 
tain  privileged  places,  wherehy  those  who  resorted  to  them  were  pro 
mised  the  same  benefits  as  though  they  had  ascended  the  holy  steps 
at  Rome. 

Trentals  (Trentale,  Fr.)  an  office  for  the  dead  that  continued  thirty 
days,  or  consisted  of  thirty  masses ;  from  the  Italian  Trenta,  i.  e.  Tri- 
ginta.  Stat.  I.  Ed.  VI.  cap.  xiv.  Jacob's  Law  Dictionary  in  voce. 
London,  1756. 

Placebo.  An  antiphone  in  the  office  for  the  dead.  The  words  are 
"Placebo  Domino  in  Regione  vivorum."  Rituale  Romanum,  Antverp. 
1617,  p.  157. 

Dirige.  Another  antiphone  in  the  office  for  the  dead.  The  words 
are  "  Dirige  Domine  Deus  meus  in  conspectu  tuo  viam  meam."  Rituale 
Romanum,  Antverp.  1617,  p.  172. 

Tot.  quots.  "  An  abbreviation  of  '  totiens  quotiens/  occurring  in 
Papal  Documents  and  Grants.  Thomas  Aquinas,  as  quoted  in  Serrani 
"  de  Septem  urbis  Romge  ecclesiis,"  (Colonise,  1600,)  p.  134,  will  explain 
the  meaning  of  this  item.  "  Quicunque  vadit  ad  ecclesiam  talem,  usque 
ad  tale  tempus  habeat  tantum  de  indulgentia,  intelligitur  semel  tantum : 
sed  si  in  aliqua  ecclesia  sit  indulgentia  perennis,  sicut  in  Ecclesia  B. 
Petri  XL.  dierum,  tune  quoties  vadit  aliquis,  toties  indulgentiam  con- 
sequitur."  Thorn.  Aquin.  Summa  Theol.  Supplem.  3  part,  quaest.  25. 
art.  2.  sect,  ad  quaest.  Bishop  Jewel  also  mentions  tot.  quots.  amongst 
a  variety  of  other  expedients  for  raising  money."  Fox,  Acts  and  Monu 
ments,  Ed.  1836,  note  of  the  Editor  in  loco. 

Pardons,  Purgatory,  Pilgrimages,  Masses,  Immunities,  Pluralities, 
Unions,  &c.  will  require  no  explanation. 

NOTE  D. 

The  Book  Mistress  Missa. 

This  book  Fox,  who  was  personally  acquainted  with  Dr  Turner, 
attributes  to  him;  but  no  work  bearing  this  title  is  to  be  found 
among  the  lists  of  his  works  given  by  Wood,  Bale,  or  later  biblio 
graphers.  The  book  most  probably  referred  to,  is  one  entitled  "A 
New  Dialogue  wherein  is  contained  the  examination  of  the  mass,  and 
of  that  kind  of  priesthood  which  is  ordained  to  say  mass,  and  to 
offer  up  for  remission  of  sin  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  again. — 
London,  by  John  Day,  and  W.  Seres."  Turner  is  spoken  of  very 


NOTES.  511 

contemptuously  by  Anthony  a  Wood,   but  commended  by  Fox  and 
Bale. 

There  was  a  book  published  anonymously,  but  which  may  have 
been  written  by  Dr  Turner,  called  "  a  newe  dialogue  called  the  endight- 
ment  agaynste  Mother  Messe.  Imprinted  by  William  Hill  and  William 
Seres,  1548." 


NOTE  E. 

A  Mass  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

A  Mass  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  a  mass  sung  with  great  solemnity 
at  the  opening  of  any  council,  synod,  or  convocation.  Strype  (Ecc. 
Mem.  vol.  iii.  par.  i.  p.  181)  speaks  of  Mary's  first  parliament  having 
been  thus  opened.  Dr  Wordsworth  cites  an  author  of  that  period  who 
calls  it  "an  unholy  mass  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  rolled  up  with  descant, 
prick -song,  and  organs,  whereby  men's  hearts  are  ravished  wholly  from 
God,  and  from  the  cogitations  of  all  such  things  as  they  ought  to 
pray  for."  Wordsworth's  Ecc.  Biog.  vol.  iii.  p.  36. 


NOTE  F. 

Dr  Wordsworth  in  his  Ecclesiastical  Biography  has  the  following 
note  on  Ridley's  attributing  the  "Bishops'  Book"  to  the  Bishop  of 
Winchester : — "  I  own  this  statement  surprises  me ;  and  yet  it  may  well 
seem  presumptuous  to  call  in  question  the  authority  of  Ridley  on  a 
point  like  the  present.  The  'Bishops'  Book'  unquestionably  is  that 
whose  proper  title  is  '  the  Institution  of  a  Christian  Man,'  &c. 
(A.D.  1537).  Now  of  this,  I  confess,  I  have  long  been  much  more 
inclined  to  attribute  the  main  authorship  to  Cranmer,  and  others  of 
his  party,  especially  perhaps  to  Fox  bishop  of  Hereford,  than  to  Gar 
diner  ;  while  again,  Gardiner  no  doubt  did  exert  a  great  and  mischievous 
influence  on  the  preparation  and  contents  of  that  other  book,  often  styled 
'the  King's  Book,'  that  is,  ' A  Necessary  Doctrine  and  Erudition  for 
any  Christen  Man  set  furth  by  the  Kynges  Majesty  of  Englande,'  &c. 
(A.D.  1543),  curious  and  valuable  as  that  work  still  undeniably  is.  I 
venture  to  conjecture  therefore,  that  Ridley  here  inadvertently  wrote 
the  'Bishops'  Booke'  instead  of  the  'King's  Book:'  a  conjecture, 
which  probably  may  be  considered  well-grounded,  when  I  mention,  that 
in  the  latter,  there  is  '  a  sharp  reproof  of  the  Florentine  Council, 
(see  p.  205  of  a  useful  volume,  the  Formularies  of  Faith  put  forth  by 
authority  during  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  published  at  Oxford,  A.D.  1825, 
and  superintended  by  bishop  Lloyd,  then  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity 
in  that  university ;)  while  I  do  not  find  any  such  '  reproof  in  the  other 
work,  the  Institution ;  or  indeed  any  mention  of  the  council  at  all.  Of 
this  book,  some  account  may  be  found  in  the  present  collection  in  a 
note  to  the  Life  of  Cromwell,  vol.  ii.  p.  258." 


512  NOTES. 


NOTE  G. 

The  book  de  vera  differentia. 

The  book  here  referred  to  is  the  treatise  by  Edward  Fox,  bishop 
of  Hereford,  and  Almoner  to  King  Henry  VIII.  "He  was  reputed," 
says  Burnet  "  to  be  one  of  the  best  divines  in  England."  The  title  of 
the  book  is,  "de  vera  differentia  Regiae  Potestatis  at  Ecclesiastics,  et 
quae  sit  ipsa^veritas  et  virtus  utriusque."  It  was  published  first  in  1534, 
and  another  edition  appeared  in  1538,  in  which  year  the  bishop  died. 
It  was  translated  into  English  by  Henry  Lord  Stafford.  There  was  a 
treatise  under  the  same  title  published  by  bishop  Gardiner,  and  one 
or  two  more  by  different  authors. 


I  N  I)  E  X. 


A  PROPOSITIONS,  &c. a  ruleof  Logic, 

Abaddon,  a  term  applied  to  Rome,  09. 
Abdias,  Scholar  to  the  Apostles,  221. 
Abridges,  Sir  Thomas,  155. 

Absolution  granted   for  thousands  of 

years,  55. 

Abuses  of  the  Mass,  answers  to  certain 
queries  concerning,  316. 

Actions  lawful  at  certain  times,  and  in 
certain  places,  unlawful  in  others, 
90. 

jEneas  Silvius,  his  book  de  Gestis  Basil. 
Concil.  374. 

Agnus,  before  the  Communion  (pro 
hibited),  319. 

Agreement  so  far  as  possible  necessary 
with  all  men,  9  ;  of  the  Papists  like 
that  of  Annas  and  Caiaphas,  27. 

Alexander VI.,  Pope,  verses  against,  54.   i 

Alexandria,  a  Patriarchate,  263. 

Almsdeeds,  God  pleased  with,  60. 

Alnwick— Appendix  III.,  492. 

Altar,  used  by  the  Fathers  to  signify  ! 
the  Lord's  table,  280;   to  be  taken   , 
down,  reasons  why,  321;    how   the 
table  may  be  called  an  altar,  322; 
more  tending  to  superstition  than  a 
table,  322  ;  not  used  by  Christ,  323 ; 
the   wall   by  the,   broken   down  by 
Ridley  at  St  Paul's.  324. 

Ambrose,  St,  18 ;  his  boldness  towards 
Theodosius  commended,  95;  credits 
and  repeats  an  old  tradition  concern 
ing  Peter,  221. 

Amicus  Ca?saris,  67. 

Anabaptists  rightly  condemned,  120. 

Anablatha,  a  village  mentioned  by  Epi- 
phanius,  91. 

Anacletus,  his  decree,  excommunicat 
ing  such  as  being  present  at  common 
prayer,  do  not  communicate,  105;  his 
decretals,  180. 

Anthropophagi,  199. 

Antichrist,  the  kingdom  of,  a  perse 
cuting  kingdom,  62. 

Antioch,  a  Patriarchate,  263. 

Antiquity,  unity,  and  universality,  156. 

Antonian,  objections  of  the,  117  et  seq. 

Antonian,  147. 

Antony,  an  Arian  Bishop,  147. 

Apostata,  the  meaning  of  the  word,  341. 

Appendix  I.  Latin  Disputation,  433 ; 
II.  Articles  of  Accusation  against 
Ridley  and  Latimer,  486;  III.  Dr 
Turner's  letter  to  Fox,  487;  IV. 
Stephen  Gardiner's  letter  to  Ridley, 
495;  V.  The  Protector's  letter  to 
Ridley,  505;  VI.  Edward  VI.'s  let 
ter  to  Ridley,  507. 

Arians,  283. 

Arius,  127. 

Arnobius,  his  testimony  that  the  early 
Christians  had  no  images,  88. 

Articles,  the  six,  prohibited  to  be 
taught,  320;  passed,  repealed,  and 

[BIDLBY.] 


restored  by  different  Parliaments,  ac 
cording  to  the  will  of  the  Sovereign, 
131. 

Athanasius,  his  constancy  in  persecu 
tions,  74 ;  his  testimony  aga'inst  the 
Arians,  74;  Image-worship  cont. 
Gent.,  85;  condemned  by  Councils 
as  an  heretic,  134. 

Audientes  not  allowed  to  be  present  at 
the  Eucharist,  160. 

Augustine,  St,  his  rules  to  know  a 
figurative  speech,  21-32;  calls  the 
Sacraments  mysteries  to  be  spiritually 
understood,  39;  calls  the  Sacrament  a 
sacrament  of  remembrance  of  the  flesh 
and  blood  of  Christ,  39;  speaks  of  the 
figurative  character  of  the  Sacraments, 
40;  asserts  that  the  nature  of  a  Sacra 
ment  consists  in  a  likeness  or  simili 
tude,  41,  42;  his  testimony  against 
Image-worship,  89 ;  speaks  of  perse 
cution  increasing  the  Church,  100; 
counsels  those  in  doubt  to  ask  of  the 
Church,  127;  his  opinion  of  Man's 
reason,133;  his  judgment  of  Councils, 
134 ;  his  counsel  to  tolerate  evil  men 
for  the  good's  sake,  136;  his  opinion 
of  Jewish  ceremonies,  138;  defines  a 
Heretic,  155;  his  opinion  conceded 
by  Bourne,  163 ;  his  testimony  against 
Transubstantiation,  176 ;  his  judg 
ment  concerning  Christ's  presence, 
177;  his  judgment  on  limitation  of 
places,  177;  his  testimony  as  to  the 
Sacrifice  of  Christ,  178;  says  that 
Christ  is  present  by  Grace  to  the 
godly,  226;  on  the  worship  of  the 
Sacraments,  236 ;  his  meaning  in 
saying  that  all  Christian  Countries 
beyond  the  seas  were  subject  to  the 
See  of  Rome,  263;  his  book  De  doc- 
trina  Christiana,  313;  asserts  com 
munion  of  Sacraments  not  to  deh'le  a 
man,  121 ;  asserts  communion  with 
the  Church  necessary  for  Salvation, 
122 ;  would  not  believe  the  Gospel  un 
less  commanded  by  the  Church,  125; 
this  saying  of  his  well  qualified  by 
Melancthon,  127 ;  his  opinion  of  the 
Maccabees,  139;  his  opinion  as  to  the 
diffusion  of  truth,  215;  his  remarks 
on  the  footstool  of  God,  234 ;  Eras 
mus  saith,  the  worship  of  the  Sacra 
ment  prior  to,  236 ;  his  remarks  on 
Christ  being  borne  in  his  own  hands, 
expounded  by  Ridley,  243;  his  re 
marks  on  bad  men  eating  Christ's 
body,  246 ;  distinguishes  between 
the  bread  of  the  Lord,  and  the  bread, 
the  Lord,  247 ;  his  remarks  on  spi 
ritual  liberty,  251 ;  cited  by  Bishop 
White  in  favour  of  the  Roman  su 
premacy,  260. 

Augustine,  Abp.  of  Canterbury,  100. 
Available,  doubt  as  to  the  expression 
"made  available",  20/. 

S3 


INDEX. 


Babylon,  the  whore  of,  418. 

Bacchus',  said  to  be  worshipped  by  the 

early  Christians,  256. 
Bailiffs  of  Oxford,  359. 
Baptism,     water     in,     sacramentally 
changed  into  the  fountain  of    Re 
generation,  12;  in  a  strange  tongue, 
inexpedient  but  not  unlawful,  140 ; 
administered    to    those  who  cannot 
understand    any    tongue,   140 ;    has 
even  when   performed  in   Latin  all 
the  requisite  parts,  140. 
Barnes,  Sir  George,  410. 
Bea drolls  prohibited,  320. 
Beast,  the,  of  Babylon  banished,  50; 
restored,  50 ;   so  called  for  his  cruel 
and  beastly  manners,  70. 
Bells,  Christening  of,  a  popish  custom, 

55. 

Berengarius,  156-158. 
Bernard,  his  opinion  on  the  real  pre 
sence  cited  by  Weston,  217 ;  explain 
ed  by  Ridley,  217;  not  to  be  literally 
understood,  226. 

Berneher,  Augustine,  Larimer's  ser 
vant,  362. 

Bertram,  an  early  writer  on  the  Sacra 
ment,  159;  his  book  insinuated  by 
the  papists  to  be  a  Protestant  forgery, 
159;  his  book  on  the  Sacraments,  ix. 
Bessarion,  Cardinal— his  management, 

250. 

Bilney,  converted  Latimer,  118. 
Bishops'  Book,  the,  135 ;  thought  to  be 
the  work  of  Gardiner,  135;  sharply 
reproves  the  Florentine  Council,  135; 
the  king's  book  meant — Note  F.  511. 
Blandina — her  constancy  under  perse 
cutions,  74. 

Blood  of  Christ,  the  cup  which  con 
tains,  said  to  be  the  New  Testa 
ment,  19 ;  shed  for  Laymen  as  well 
as  Priests,  23. 

Boaz  not  deceived  by  Ruth,  84. 
Bocardo,   the    prison  described,   359 ; 

accident  in,  359. 

Bohemians  demanded  the   Sacrament 

under  both  kinds,  and  said  to  have 

been  refused  (note  of  Fox  thereon), 

269. 

Boniface    VIII.,    his    Bull    "  Unam 

Sanctam",  164. 

Books,  those  of  Ridley  taken  away  from 
him,  127;  Ridley's  given  away,  165. 
Bourne,  Mr  Secretary,  155  et  seq. 
Bourne,  Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  3/0. 
Bradford — his  faithful  preaching,  59; 
Prebendary  of  St  Paul's,  331;  pri 
soner  in  the  King's  Bench,  358;  his 
Treatise  on  the  Communion,  363. 
Bread,   called   Christ's    body    by   our 
Lord,  15 ;  by  St  Paul,  17  ;  conjura 
tion  of,  to  be  spiritual  food,  106 ;  of 
what  kind  given  by  Christ,  228;  the, 
of  the  Lord's  table,  one  bread,  242 ; 
the  Sacramental,  a  mystery,  242. 
Bridewell,  founded  by   Edward  VI., 

xiii. 
Brooks,  James,  Bishop  of  Gloucester, 


commissioner  to  judge  Ridley,  255; 
commends  Ridley's  supplication, 
291 ;  promises  to  support  it,  291 ; 
accuses  Ridley  of  Pharisaic  self- 
praise,  291. 

Browne,  Sir  Anthony,  x. 

Burgo,  John  de— Note  A.,  509. 

Calumnies  against  the  Reformed,  that 
they  asserted  the  Holy  Sacrament  to 
be  no  better  than  a  piece  of  common 
baken  bread,  10 ;  that  they  made  it 
a  mere  figure,  10  ;  against  Ministers 
of  the  Gospel,  59. 
Calvin  confutes  the  Interim,  120. 
Cambridge,  in  the  University  pulpit 
Ridley  did  penance  for  his  former 
Popish  errors,  119;  Disputations  at, 
intended,   363 ;    Reformation   made 
there,   set    aside,   392;    Masters    of 
Colleges  in,  removed,  392. 
Canons,  Apostolical,  agree  with   the 

decree  of  Anacletus,  105. 
Canterbury,  Abp.  of,  (Cranmer)  his 
book,  probably  his  book  on  the  Sa 
crament  against  Gardiner,  160;  Abp. 
of,  his  book  attributed  to  Ridley,  161 ; 
his  book  did  not  make  the  Sacrament 
to  be  a  mere  figure,  161 ;  the  Abp.  of, 
a  Patriarch  in  England,  263 ;  the  See 
of,  mother  to  the  other  Bishoprics, 
264. 

Capernaites,  175. 

Cardmaker,  Master,  a  martyr,  391. 

Carolostadius,  his  opinion  of  the  Sacra 
ment,  158. 

Carolus  Magnus,  159. 

Catalpgus  Illustrium  virorum,  159 ; 
Scriptorum  Ecclesiasticorum,  159. 

Catechism  counted  heresy,  49;  neces 
sary  for  those  who  have  arrived  at 
years  of  discretion,  141 ;  erroneously 
referred  to  by  Fox,  160 ;  its  clause 
"  si  visibiliter  et  in  terra",  227;  to  be 
taught  every  Sunday  and  Holiday, 
320. 

Catechumeni  not  allowed  to  be  present 
at  the  Eucharist,  160. 

Cathari,  ancient  heretics,  120. 

Cecil,  secretary  to  Edward  VI.,  333- 
336. 

Celsus,  his  objection  to  the  Christians 
from  their  lack  of  Images,  88. 

Ceremonies  and  Prayers,  the  old  ones, 
their  scope,  315. 

Ceres  and  Bacchus,  said  by  the  Heathen 
to  be  worshipped  among  the  early 
Christians,  236. 

Chalice  and  wafer-cake  taken  from 
Ridley,  289. 

Charles  the  Bald,  a  book  of  Bertram 
dedicated  to,  159;  the  brother  of 
Lothaire  the  Emperor,  159. 

Cheke,  Mr,  afterwards  Sir  John,  Com 
missioner  at  Cambridge,  169 ;  Sir 
John,  Ridley's  Letter  to,  331. 

Choral  ey,  late  Chief  Justice,  163;  Mr 
Roger,  164. 

CHRIST,  whether  his  body  received-by 


INDEX. 


5 15 


the  wicked  or  not  in  the  Lord's  Sup 
per,  11  ;  whether  his  body  be  offered 
by  the  Priest  or  not,  11;  whether 
there  be  in  the  Lord's  Supper  any 
corporeal  and  carnal  presence  of,  11; 
his  natural  body  denied  to  be  in  the 
Eucharist  by  the  Reformers,  13;  his 
human  body  in  heaven,  and  shall  be 
so  till  the  last  day,  13;  his  natural 
body,  because  united  to  the  divine 
nature,  hath  life,  and  is  able  to  be 
stow  life,  13 ;  the  Sun  of  Righteous 
ness,  whose  beams  are  God's  word 
and  his  Sacraments,  13;  calleth  bread 
his  body,  15;  calleth  his  cup  the  fruit 
of  the  vine-tree,  17;  his  mystical 
body  the  congregation  of  Christians, 
17  ;  used  figurative  language  at  the 
Institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  20, 
21 ;  mystical  words  of,  (Matth.xxiv.), 
64 ;  the  head  of  the  true  Catholic 
Church,  159;  his  ascent  into  heaven, 
171  ;  his  Sacrifice,  the  alone  neces 
sary  one,  178;  not  to  be  repeated, 
178 ;  his  body  that  which  he  took  of 
the  Virgin,  213;  present  by  grace 
in  the  Sacrament,  213;  his  ascent  into 
heaven  inconsistent  with  the  corpo 
real  presence,  213  ;  not  restrained  to 
one  place,  213 ;  one  in  all  places, 
216;  the  verity  of  the  body  of,  218; 
the  wisdom  and  power  of  his  Father, 
227  ;  the  body  of,  eaten  by  bad  men, 
246;  his  body  not  made  of  bread 
< Gardiner),  307;  made  of  bread 
(other  Romanists),307;  his  sacramen 
tal  body  characterized  by  Form  and 
Quantity  (Gardiner),  308;  not  cha 
racterized  by  Form  and  Quantity,  308. 

Christ's  Hospital  founded  by  Edward 
VI.,  xiii. 

Chrysostom,  St,  18.  His  testimony  that 
the  true  body  of  Christ  is  not  con 
tained  in  the  holy  mysteries,  32;  his 
Opus  Imperfectum  asserted  to  be 
spurious  by  the  papivSts,  33;  his  opi 
nion  concerning  Transubstantiation 
debated,  33;  asserts  that  the  nature  of 
bread  tarries  in  the  Sacrament,  34;  the 
genuineness  of  his  Epistle  to  Caesarius 
disputed — Note  B.,  509;  hisEpistola 
ad  Caesarium  Mon — Note  B.,  509; 
Antwerp  Edition  of— Note  B.,  509  ; 
Paris  Editions  of  1543,  1557,  1717— 
Note  B.,  509;  his  Opus  Imperfectum 
— Note  B.,  509;  MS.  copy  of,  at  Flo 
rence — Note  B.,  509  ;  Peter  Martyr's 
opinion  of  some  works  attributed  to 
—Note  B.,  509;  Archbishop  Usher's 
researches  in  his  works — Note  B., 
509;  condemned  as  a  heretic,  134; 
proves  that  which  the  vine  bears  to 
be  wine,  204 ;  his  opinion  as  to  the 
daily  sacrifice,  215;  his  opinion  as 
to  the  real  presence  explained  by 
Ridley,  217;  his  comparison  between 
Christ  and  Elias,  222 ;  his  assertion 
that  Christ  is  contained  in  the  hands 
of  man,  223 ;  explained  by  Ridley, 


223;  calleth  the  Sacrament  a  miracle, 
223;  argument  from  in  favour  of 
Transubstantiation,  237;  the  same 
explained  by  Ridley,  237 ;  his  opi 
nion  concerning  the  Sacrament,  241 ; 
on  the  unworthy  reception  of  the 
Lord's  Body,  247. 

Church,  the  ark  of  God,  122,  123;  the 
city  of  God,  House  of  God,  the  Body 
of  Christ,  123 ;  the  Holy  Ghost  the 
guide  of,  123;  marks  of,  given  by 
Ridley,  123 ;  marks  of,  given  by  St 
Chrysostom,  123;  the  heavenly  Jeru 
salem,  123 ;  the  true,  known  only  by 
the  Scriptures,  123 ;  not  all  that  call 
themselves  such  are  so,  124  ;  forsak 
ing  of,  what  it  is,  124;  what  was  it 
in  King  Edward's  days,  124;  Lati- 
mer's  "argumentum  ad  absurdum" 
concerning,  124;  the,  a  visible  body, 
124;  statements  of  the  Antonian  re 
specting  a  Catholic  or  universal  body, 
125;  contains  good  men  and  bad, 
goats  and  sheep,  125;  has  the  pro 
mise  of  Christ's  constant  presence, 
125  ;  has  the  power  of  binding  and 
loosing,  125;  for  its  sake  Augustine 
believed  the  Gospel,  125;  assertion 
concerning,  that  it  allows  the  mass, 
125 ;  Ridley  states  the  word  is  used  in 
three  senses  in  Scripture,  125 ;  some 
times  for  the  body  of  all  spiritual  be 
lievers,  126 ;  sometimes  for  that  out 
ward  society  which  hath  the  Sacra 
ments,  126;  sometimes,  though  rarely, 
for  the  synagogue  of  Satan,  126;  this 
last-named  church  hath  the  greatest 
power  in  this  world,  even  in  Christen 
dom,  126 ;  doth  not  stand  in  men  (opi 
nion  of  Lyra,  in  Matth.  cap.  xvi.),  127; 
contains  evil  men  in  name  only,  127; 
Gloss  of  the  decrees  upon,  127 ;  not 
a  judge  but  a  witness,  127 ;  too  lightly 
esteemed  by  some  in  the  days  of  St 
Augustine,  128  ;  whether  it  may  err, 
129 ;  whether  the  sounder  part  may 
be  seen  of  men,  129 ;  represented  by 
Councils,  129;  councils  of  the  uni 
versal  church  have  not  allowed  the 
mass,  130;  not  represented  save  by 
godly  men,  130;  not  always  repre 
sented  by  the  greater  number,  131 ; 
perilous  to  introduce  innovations  into, 
137;  of  the  Jews,  very  corrupt  in  the 
time  of  our  Lord,  137;  burdened  with 
ceremonies,  138;  the  true  Catholic, 
how  known,  150 ;  the,  hath  never  been 
idolatrous,  as  a  whole,  235 ;  some 
part  of  the,  seduced  by  evil  pastors, 
235;  ever  held  that  Christ  was  in 
the  Sacraments,  235  ;  the,  of  the  re 
formed  asserted  by  the  Papists  to  be 
confined  to  Germany,  Saxony,  and 
England,  266  ;  the  authority  of, 
touching  rites  and  ceremonies,  269. 

Church,  St  Mary's,  at  Oxford,  255. 

Churchwardens,  to  keep  order  in 
Church,  321. 

Clare   Hall,   Cambridge,   intention   to 

33—2 


1C 


INDEX. 


incorporate  with  Trinity  Hall,  327 ; 
DrMadew,  Master  of,  327;  full  of 
Northern  men,  327- 

Clement,  of  Rome,  his  decretal  Epistle, 
180. 

Clergy,  only  half  reformed  in  the  days 
of  Edward  VI.,  59. 

Clinton,  Lady,  x. 

Coercion,  reasonable  when  gentleness 
fails,  142. 

Cole,  Dr,  191 ;  questions  Ridley,  227- 

Commission  to  try  Ridley  and  Lati- 
mer,  publicly  read,  256. 

Commissioners,  the  Queen's,  156;  all 
declared  by  Secretary  Bourne  to 
favour  Ridley.  156;  at  Cambridge 
(1549),  169;  of  the  king  at  Cam- 
bridge  (1549),  171 ;  had  power  to 
reconcile  or  degrade,  256. 

Committee  to  examine  the  offices  of 
the  Church,  316. 

Communion  of  Sacraments  doth  not 
defile  a  man,  121 ;  English,  not  so 
gainful  to  papists  as  the  Mass,  122 ; 
none  to  be  admitted  to,  who  will  not 
confess  the  creed,  319 ;  Holy,  not  to 
be  made  a  mart  of,  319;  to  be  cele 
brated  at  a  Table,  319 ;  the  poor  to 
be  remembered  at,  319. 

Conclusion  to  the  reader  after  the  con 
ferences,  149. 

Conferences  with  Latimer,  97 ;  be 
tween  Ridley  and  Mr  Secretary 
Bourne,  153, 

Confusion  in  memory  made  by  many 
things,  148. 

Conscience  not  to  be  stifled,  does  not 
allow  dissimulation,  66. 

Conscientiousness  of  Ridley  and  Lati 
mer,  149. 

Constantine  the  Great,  his  example 
commended,  96. 

Constantine  V.  condemned  Images,  and 
prohibited  them  in  churches  through 
out  Greece  and  Asia,  93. 

Constantine  VI.  restored  Image-wor 
ship,  94. 

Constantinople,  a  Patriarchate,  263. 

Constantius,  127. 

Contributions  for  idolatrous  purposes 
unlawful,  66. 

Conversion  in  a  Sacrament,  what,  175. 

Convocations,  English,  variable  in  their 
decisions,  151. 

Councils,  universal,  not  commanded, 
132;  have  sometimes  erred,  134; 
which  approved  of  masses,  heretical, 
135;  of  Florence,  began  at  Ferrara, 
135;  decrees  the  papal  supremacy, 
135 ;  consented  to  by  the  Greek  Em 
peror,  135  ;  of  Milevs  prohibited  ap 
pellations  to  transmarine  Bishops, 
136;  of  Carthage,  held  A.  D.  397, 
withstood  the  Pope's  claims,  136. 

Coverdale,  his  division  of  Ridley's  ac 
count  of  the  Disputation  at  Oxford, 
305. 

Cox,  Master,  at  Frankfort,  38/. 

Cramp-rings,what — Appendix  IV.  501. 


Cranmer  displeased  those  in  authority, 
59 ;  repugning  against  the  spoiling  of 
church  property,  59  ;  has  Jewel  for 
his  notary  or  reporter,  194 ;  untruly 
said  by  the  Judges  to  have  stated 
the  Catechism  to  be  Ridley's  work, 
227 ;  his  examination  at  Oxford,  255 ; 
his  dependence  on  Ridley  noted  by 
Brooks,  283. 

Creeping  to  the  Cross  prohibited,  520. 

Cresconius,  127. 

Croke,  Dr,  the  Grecian,  373. 

Crome,  Dr,  363. 

Cross,  necessity  of  embracing  Christ's, 
71 ;  creeping  before — Appendix  IV., 

Cup,  the,  denied  to  lay  Christians  by 
the  Roman  Church,  23 ;  denied  in 
England,  52. 

Curtop,  Mr,  191,  237,  et  seq. 

Custom,  ancient,  at  Cambridge,  171  • 

Cuttles,  or  Cuttle-fish,  simile  of,  36. 

Cyprian,  St,  asserts  communion  of  Sa 
craments  not  to  defile  a  man,  121; 
quoted  in  favour  of  transubstantia- 
tion,  162;  the  passage  explained  by 
Ridley,  162;  speaks  of  the  wine  in 
the  Lord's  cup,  204 ;  claims  for 
Christ  the  passover,  233;  Erasmus 
saith,  the  worship  of  the  Sacrament 
was  prior  to,  236 ;  remarks  of,  on  the 
bread  of  the  Scarament,  243 ;  his 
treatise  de  Ccena  Domini,  243;  de 
Lapsis,  quoted  by  Grindall,  387- 

Cyril,  St,  condemned  as  a  heretic,  134. 

Damascenus.  Johannes,  206. 

Daniel — his  Prophecy  of  Antichrist,  76. 

Date  of  the  Oxford  Disputation,  va 
rieties  in,  189. 

"  De  Vera  Differentia,"  a  book  by  Fox, 
Bishop  of  Hereford — Note  G.,  512. 

Death  in  Christ's  cause  a  high  honour, 
77. 

Decrees,  One  in  favour  of  the  Pope's 
supremacy,  164 ;  One  declaring  the 
Pope's  supremacy  necessary  to  be  be 
lieved  under  pain  of  damnation,  164. 

Decretals,  their  folly  an  argument 
against  their  genuineness,  180. 

Degradation  of  Ridley,  289. 

Derby,  382. 

Desolation,  the  abomination  of,  set  up 
in  England,  63. 

Determination  concerning  the  Sacra 
ment,  167. 

Diana  of  the  Ephesians,  305. 

Dirige,  55;  what— Note  C.,  510. 

Dispensations,  Popish,  condemned, 
418. 

Disputatio  Habita  Oxonii,  433. 

Disputation  at  Oxford,  187;  impossi 
ble  to  describe  it,  304 ;  like  Robin- 
hood  pastimes,  3U4;  little  else  than 
hissing  and  shouting,  304 ;  compared 
to  the  tumults  stirred  up  again.st  the 
Apostles  by  Demetrius  the  silver 
smith,  304. 

Diputation    between    the  Arians  and 


INDEX. 


517 


the  Orthodox,  305;  at  Oxford,  re 
ported  by  Ridley  himself,  30H. 

Disputations  held  at  Cambridge  (1549), 
169;  preserved  by  Fox,  169;  impor 
tant,  169;  Ridley  commissioner  at 
(1549),  169. 

Disputations  and  examinations,  185 ; 
not  published  by  the  Papists,  194. 

Disputes  concerning  the  word  '  this'  in 


our    Lord 


s   saying, 


This   is  my 


body,"  25-27;  explained  by  a  simili 
tude  of  a  knife,  25. 

Diversity  between  Civil  and  Spiritual 
matters,  133. 

Dobbs,  Sir  Richard,  Lord  Mayor  of 
London,  60,  411 ;  prayer  for  him,  61. 

Doctors  of  the  Church  well  esteemed 
by  Ridley,  158. 

Duns  Scotus — his  opinion  concerning 
transubstantiation,  16-26;  supported 
by  Stephen  Gardiner,  (vide  note) 
16;  a  vain  quiddity  of,  decked  in 
fresh  colours,  refuted,  24  et  seq. 

Ecclesiastical  writers,  authority  of,  28; 
witnesses  and  expounders,  but  not 
authors  of  doctrine,  28. 

Edridge  recommends  that  Ridley  should 
^  be  gagged,  289. 

Edward  VI.  a  godly  prince,  58;  called 
by  Latimer,  Josiah,  131 ;  founds 
three  beneficial  Institutions,  xiii;  his 
letter  to  Ridley— Appendix  VI.,  507. 

Election,  Ridley's  Treatise  on,  368. 

Elements,  adoration  of,  not  mentioned 
in  the  institution  of  theEucharist,  105. 

Eliberis— hodie,  Elvira,  Council  of,  94. 

Eliseus,  or  Elisha — his  staff',  Appendix 
IV.,  500. 

Embassy  to  France  and  the  Emperor, 
294.  " 

Emissa  or  Emesa,  201. 

Energumeni,  not  allowed  to  be  present 
at  the  Eucharist,  160. 

England — the  heavy  plague  of  God  fall 
en  upon,  58;  subject,  say  the  Roman 
ists,  in  one  sense  to  the  King,  and  in 
another  to  the  Pope,  266. 

Epiphanius  goes  into  a  Church  to  pray, 
91  ;  cut  in  pieces  a  veil  with  a 
figure  painted  upon  it  in  a  Church, 
91  ;  commanded  that  such  should 
not  be  hung  up  in  Churches,  91 ;  his 
Epistle  to  John,  Bishop  of  Jerusa 
lem,  translated  into  Latin  by  Jerome, 
91 ;  judges  the  presence  of  images  or 
p  dntings  in  Churches  to  be  contrary 
to  Scripture,  91. 

Equitius  the  Deacon — Appendix  IV., 
500. 

Erasmus — his  Epistle  to  the  Brethren  of 
Low  Germany,  236. 

Est — the  word  taken  for  "  fit"  (Gardi 
ner),  508 ;  not  taken  for  "  fit"  (other 
Romanists),  508. 

Eucharist,  the,  instituted  of  God,  239; 
made  a  Sacrament  by  Christ's  words, 
239;  grace  pertaineth  to,  239;  a 
Sacrament  of  the  New  Testament, 


239;  bread  and  wine  the  Sacramental 

elements  of,  240. 
Eugenius—  a  godly  Bishop,  147- 
Eusebius,    his   Ecclesiastica   Historia 

cited,  74,  144;  his  testimony  against 

image  worship,  85. 
Eusebius  of  Emesa,  200. 
Eustachius  condemned  as  a  Heretic,  134. 
Eutyches,  his  abominable  Heresy,  171, 

200. 

Eutycheans,  283. 
Evil  men  to  be  borne  with  for  the  sake 

of  the  good,  136. 
Examination,  the  last,  of  Ridley  before 

the  Queen's  Commissioners,  253. 
Excuses  to  cloke  sin  unlawful,  67- 
Extravagantes    Communes    of    John, 

XX1L,  164. 

Farewell  of  Ridley— date  of,  395. 

Farrar,  Bishop  of  St  David's,  a  Martvr, 
391. 

"  Fasciculus,  rer.  exp.  et  fug.",'JJ74. 

Fathers  to  be  accepted  if  accordant  with 
Scripture,  114;  have  weeds  as  well 
as  herbs,  114;  perversely  used  by 
Papists,  114;  misunderstood  when 
they  speak  of  the  Sacraments,  114; 
their  consent  as  to  the  Sacraments, 
158;  their  testimony,  171. 

Featherstonehaugh,  a  family  at  vari 
ance  with  the  Ridleys,  ii. 

Feckenham,  John,  Prebendary  of  St 
Paul's,  331. 

Fecknam ,  Dean  of  St  Paul's,  1 55  et  seq . ; 
belied  Ridley  at  Paul's  Cross,  163, 

Felix,  Bishop  of  Rome,  127. 

Fineux,  Sir  John,  407. 

Flight — Ridley's  counsel  in  time  of 
persecution,  62;  examples  of,  in  Paul, 
Elijah, and  Athanasius,  62-63;  coun 
selled  by  Christ,  62;  Ridley's  counsel 
considered,  65 ;  objections  to,  an 
swered,  71-72. 

Florence,  council  of,  237,  249;  would 
not  deliberate  on  Transubstantia 
tion,  237. 

Fox,  Bishop  of  Hereford— Note  G.,  510. 

Frankfort,  a  great  number  of  English 
reformers  residing  at,  387- 

Fremingham  or  Framlingham,  155. 

Friars — their  pranks  and  knavery,  55. 

Fulgentius  speaks  of  the  figurative 
character  of  the  Sacraments,  40 ;  his 
work  de  Fide  attributed  to  St  Au 
gustine,  40;  his  book  restored  to 
him  by  Erasmus,  40 ;  calls  the  Sa 
crament  a  commemoration,  179. 

Fulham,  vii. 

Gall,  and  spurgall,  to,  148. 

Galtropes,  a  military  engine,  368. 

Gardiner,  Stephen,  Bishop  of  Win 
chester,  called  Diotrephes,  110;  his 
opinion  about  the  body  of  Christ, 
110;  the  sacramental  Bread,  308; 
asserts  that  man  only  can  eat 
the  Body  of  Christ,  309;  condemns 
M  agister  Sententiarium,  309 ;  the 


518 


INDEX. 


adoration  of  the  Elements,  309 ; 
asserts  the  reasonableness  of  Tran- 
substantiation,  310;  his  opinion  as  to 
the  accidents  of  Bread  and  Wine, 
310; — concerning  the  Mass,  311 ;  his 
inconsistencies,  311 ;  asserts  the  suffi 
ciency  of  Christ's  Atonement,  311  ; 
his  arguments  in  favour  of  Transub- 
stantiation,  311  ;  his  concessions  to 
the  reformed,  315 ;  his  remarks  on 
the  spiritual  nature  of  the  Mass,  315; 
his  letter  to  Ridley— Appendix  IV., 
495 ;  his  assertions  concerning  the 
Nestorians,  314 ;  his  assertion  that 
Christ  is  not  eaten  by  the  impeni 
tent,  315. 

Gate,  Sir  John,  Vice-Chamberlain, 
^letter  to,  330, 

Gelasius  asserts  that  their  original  na 
ture  remains  in  the  Sacramental  Ele 
ments.  De  duab.  nat.  Christ,  cont. 
Eutych.  et  Nest.,  44;  Bishopof  Rome 
before  the  corruption  of  that  See,  44 ; 
his  judgment  on  the  Sacrament,  1(50. 

George,  wearing  of  the — Appendix  IV., 

Gest,  'l69. 

Glin,  Dr,  169. 

Gloss  of  a  lawyer  on  "  Statuimus",  36. 

Glover— his  martyrdom,  384. 

Glynn,  Dr,  an  old  Friend  of  Ridley's, 
34 ;  very  contumelious  against  Rid 
ley,  235;  desired  pardon  from  Ridley, 
235. 

GOD,  the  searcher  of  hearts,  68 ;  what 
it  is  to  trust  in,  68 ;  his  wonders  in 
our  time  unnoticed  by  us,  75;  un 
changeable  in  power  and  goodness, 
75;  favourable  to  his  people,  as  much 
in  adversity  as  in  prosperity,  75;5the 
only  stay  of  the  country,  143. 

God-service,  counterfeit  of  the  Papists, 
150. 

God's  word  truly  preached,  49 ;  the 
preaching  of  it  dangerous,  49  ;  graven 
in  Churches,  52 ;  rased  out  of 
Churches,  52  ;  only,  necessary  to 
salvation,  53  ;  the  only  rule  of  reli 
gion,  53. 

Good  works,  great  slackness  among  the 
people  to,  60. 

Gospel,  he  who  will  not  obey,  must  obey 
the  Law,  142. 

Gospellers,  9;  all  degrees  of,  in  king 
Edward's  days,  very  corrupt,  59. 

Gower  andChaucer,  DrTurner's  opinion 
of— Appendix  III.,  490. 

Gregory,  St,  entitled  the  Great,  allows 
the  setting  up  of  images  in  Churches, 
92 ;  a  bishop  of  Rome,  263. 

Grey  Friars,  Church  of,  near  Newgate, 
xiii. 

Grimbold,  Mr,  a  preacher,  337;  Ridley's 
chaplain,  372 ;  a  prisoner,  but  set  at 
liberty,  391. 

Grind  all,  a  disputant  at  Cambridge, 
169 ;  his  virtue  and  learning,  331  ; 
Precentor  of  St  Paul's,  331;  Pre 
bendary  of  Westminster,  332  ;  about 


to  be  made  a  Bishop,  336;  his  letter 
to  Ridley,  386. 

Grounds  against  transubstantiation,  five 
in  number,  171. 

Habet  Deum,  a  godly  Bishop,  147. 

Hadham,  Ridley's  house  at,  x. 

Hales,  Justice,  his  recantation,  363. 

Hallowing  of  water  and  salt  condemn 
ed,  55;  of  Churches,  altars,  chalices, 
&c.,  done  only  by  Bishops,  55;  of 
the  fire  or  altar  prohibited,  320. 

Handball— Appendix  III.,  493. 

Harding,  Mr,  191. 

Harpsfield,  Dr,  disputes  with  Ridley, 
223. 

Hart,  Harry,  379. 

Harvey,  Mr,  a  divine  and  preacher, 
337. 

Heath,  Bishop  of  Worcester,  after 
wards  Archbishop  of  York,  Hi,  vi, 
429. 

Hegesippus,  an  ecclesiastical  historian, 
cited,  220. 

Henry  VIII. ,  his  argument  against 
giving  the  cup  to  the  Laity,  106; 
the  same  answered  by  Latimer,  106. 

Heresies,  dangerous,  abroad  in  the 
world,  367. 

Heretic,  defined  by  St  Augustine,  155. 

Heretics  not  true  and  loyal  subjects, 
141. 

Herod  opposed  by  the  Jews  when  he 
wished  to  set  up  an  image  in  God's 
Temple,  85. 

Hilary  asserts  Christ  to 'be  the  only 
Peace  of  the  Church,  120 ;  his  saying 
on  God's  word,  227- 

Hill,  Sir  Rowland,  410. 

Historia  Tripartita,  74,  500. 

Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  the  words  ex 
pounded  by  Ridley,  157 ;  words  not 
to  be  taken  literally,  157. 

Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter  and  Sancti- 
fier,  80. 

Holyman,  John,  Bishop  of  Bristol, 
commissioner  to  judge  Ridley,  255. 

Holy  Water,  defence  of,  by  Gardiner — 
Appendix  IV.,  500. 

Homilies  to  be  read  orderly,  329. 

Homo,  meaneth  a  woman  as  well  as  a 
man,  105. 

Homousian,  used  as  a  term  of  reproach. 
132. 

Hooper,  Bishop,  a  prisoner,  355;  Rid 
ley's  agreement  and  reconciliation 
with,  355;  false  tidings  concerning, 
373. 

Humphrey,  his  life  of  Jewel  quoted,  xi. 

Hunnericus,  a  tyrant  of  the  Vandals, 
147;  commits  his  authority  to  An 
tony,  14/. 

Hunsden,  in  Herts,  x. 

Huss,  his  opinion  of  the  sacrament, 
158. 

Idolatry,  general  inclination  of  man  to, 

83. 
Images,  none   allowed   in  the  Jewish 


INDKX. 


519 


Tabernacle,  84 ;  in  Churches,  con 
demned  by  God's  word,  86 ;  danger 
ous  to  the  unlearned,  86;  testified 
against  by  A  thanasius,Eusebius,Ter-. 
tullian,  8»i;  unnecessary  to  the  learn 
ed,  86;  their  ill  effect  not  sufficiently 
counteracted  by  sincerepreaching,  86 ; 
rightly  termed  Meretrices,  87 ;  do 
not  stir  up  the  mind  to  devotion,  87 ; 
not  suffered  in  the  Lacedemonian 
council  chamber,  87 ;  in  Churches, 
the  profit  of  them  small  and  uncer 
tain,  87 ;  the  danger  great,  and  the 
mischief  sure,  87 ;  not  allowed  by 
the  primitive  Church,  88;  the  ab 
sence  of  them  remarked  by  the  hea 
then,  particularly  by  Celsus,  88;  of 
Christ  carried  about  by  the  Gnostics, 
88 ;  not  spared  by  Epiphanius,  91 ; 
in  Churches,  not  things  indifferent, 
90 ;  broken  down  by  Serenus  Bishop 
of  Marseilles,  92 ;  allowed  by  Gre 
gory  the  Great,  92;  condemned  by 
Valens  and  Theodosius,  93;  abolish 
ed  by  Leo  III.,  and  publicly  burned 
at  Constantinople,  93 ;  condemned 
by  a  council  of  Bishops  under  Con- 
stantine  V.,  93 ;  decree  against  them 
executed  throughout  Greece  and  Asia 
in  the  reign  of  Constantine  V.,  93 ; 
restored  by  Irene  at  Nice,  94;  pro 
hibited  at  the  Council  of  Eliberis, 
95  ;  the  cause  of  the  separation  be 
tween  the  Eastern  and  Western 
Churches,  94 ;  never  saved  any 
souls,  94;  called  blind  books  and 
dumb  schoolmasters,  95  ;  called  lay 
men's  books,  but  tend  to  idolatry, 
95 ;  indirectly  opened  the  gate  of 
Christendom  to  the  Saracens  and 
Turks,  95;  prohibited,  320. 
Image-worship,  again  established  in 
England,  52;  certain  reasons  against, 
83 ;  origin  of,  85. 

Inconvenience  better  than  mischief,  133. 
Infant  baptism  denied  by  some,  367- 
Injunctions   given   to   the   Diocese  of 
London, 319;  popish, forbidden,  319. 
Innocent   III.,   his  fantastical  inven 
tion    concerning    transubstantiation, 
16,  17,  18;  a  man  most  prejudicial  to 
the  Church,  246;  Note  A.,  509. 
Instructions  to  the  Diocese  of  York,  417. 
Interim,  an  ordinance  of  Charles  V.  in 
1548,  settling  the  differences  between 
the  Protestants  and  the  Papists  in  a 
manner  favourable  to  the  latter,  120; 
confuted  by  Calvin,  120. 
Invocation  of  Saints  prohibited,  320. 
Irene,  the  Empress,  favoured  Image- 
worship,  93;  put  out  the  eyes  of  her 
son  Constantine  VI.,  94;  burned  the 
bones  of  her  father-in-law,  Constan 
tine  V.,  94. 

Irenjeus  reproves  the  Gnostics  for  their 
idolatry,  88;  quoted  by  Ridley  for 
Ter  tullian,  158. 

Irish,  Master,  Mayor  of  Oxford,  391  ; 
Mrs,  her.  sorrow  for  Ridley's  ap 


proaching  death,  292 ;  a  morose  per 
son,  392. 

Ite  missa  est,  words  in  the  Canon  of 
the  Mass,  108 ;  a  story  about,  by  La- 
timer,  108. 

Jack  in  the  box,  an  irreverent  term  ap 
plied  to  the  Sacrament,  265. 

Jacks,  (armour),  145. 

James,  St,  dead  before  Clement  became 
Bishop  of  Rome,  180. 

Jeroboam,  his  golden  calves,  138 ; 
threatened  with  grievous  plagues, 
138 ;  his  punishment,  138. 

Jerome,  St,  calls  hypocrisy  a  double 
evil,  60;  declares  ignorance  of  the 
Scriptures  to  be  the  mother  of  errors, 
132 ;  says  that  the  knowledge  of  the 
Scriptures  is  the  food  of  everlasting 
life,  132;  uses  the  phrase,  "conticere 
corpus  Domini,"  180. 

Jewel,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Salisbury, 
Cranmer's  Notary,  194;  his  answer 
to  Harding,  262. 

Jewry,  the  Spiritual,  means  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel,  63. 

John,  St,  his  testimony  against  Image- 
worship,  58. 

Josiah,  the  true  minister  of  God,  138. 

Judicium  de  Epistolis  decretalibus, 
180  ;  English  Translation  of,  182. 

Judith,  an  example  of  devotion,  139. 

Justin  Martyr  made  a  Christian  by 
the  example  of  Christian  patience, 
101 ;  cited  by  Ward,  231 ;  said  to 
have  been  mistranslated  by  Cranmer, 
231 ;  translations  from,  compared, 
231-2;  a  passage  from,  copied  out 
by  Ridley,  232 ;  garbled  by  the  Pa 
pists,  232. 

Justus  Jonas,  160. 

Kemp,  W.,  Prebendary  of  St  Paul's, 

331. 

Kentish  Town,  Prebend  of,  331. 
Keys,    the  power  of,    said  by  Bishop 

White  to  be  delivered  to  the  Clergy, 

266. 

King's  book — Note  F.,  511.  . 
Knox,  his  faithful  preaching,  59. 

Lactantius,  his  testimonyagainstlmage- 
worship,  88. 

Laity  might,  if  they  demanded  it,  re 
ceive  the  Sacrament  under  both  kinds 
(asserted  by  White,  Bishop  of  Lin 
coln),  269. 

Lateran,  the  fourth  Council,  rejected 
by  Ridley,  246. 

Latimer,  his  faithful  preaching,  59; 
called  the  Apostle  of  England,  99; 
an  old  Soldier  of  Christ,  146 ;  his 
dependence  on  Cranmer  noted  by 
Brooks,  283;  his  behaviour  at  his 
Martyrdom,  293;  his  poor  attire, 
293 ;  salutations  between  him  and 
Ridley,  294;  receives  gunpowder 
after  being  chained  to  the  stake, 
297;  comforts  Ridley,  297;  his  last 


520 


INDEX. 


prayers,  297;  his  death,  298;  the 
lamentation  of  the  people  at  his 
death,  299 ;  report  of  his  ill-health, 
316. 

Latin  spoken  by  the  Priests  gaineth 
the  opinions  of  the  people,  109. 

Laurentius  Valla,  his  works  commend 
ed,  374. 

Law,  the  sheet-anchor,  stay  and  refuge 
of  the  Papists,  140 ;  the,  employed 
to  punish  heretics,  141. 

Laws,  all  kinds  not  alike  to  the  Christ 
ian,  142 ;  not  to  be  set  in  force  ex 
cept  against  the  ungodly,  142. 

Lay  ton,  William,  Prebendary  of  St 
Paul's,  331;  Richard,  Prebendary 
of  St  Paul's,  331. 

Legates  of  the  Pope  presidents  of  the 
second  Nicene  Council,  94. 

Leo  III.,  the  Emperor,  commended 
for  his  virtues,  93 ;  prohibited  the 
setting  up  of  images  in  Churches, 
93 ;  collected  and  burned  the  images 
in  Constantinople,  93. 

Leo  VL,  called  PhilosophusandSapiens 
and  Pacificus,  93 ;  the  author  of  a 
book  called  "  Tactica",  93. 

Letter  which  killeth,  hurtl'ul,  that  is, 
say  the  Papists,  to  the  carnal  but  not 
to  the  spiritual  man,  32. 

Letters  of  .Ridley,  325;  from  Ridley  to 
the  Protector,  327 ;  to  Ridley  from  the 
Dean  of  St  Paul's,  328;  from  the  Duke 
of  Somerset,  concerning  the  visita 
tion,  328;  from  Ridley  to  Sir  John 
Cheke,  331 ;  to  the  Preachers  in  his 
Diocese,  334;  to  Dr  Parker,  command 
ing  him  to  preach,  335 ;  to  Sir  John 
Gate  and  Sir  Wm.  Cecil,  33(J;  to 
West,  sometime  his  Chaplain,  337  ; 
to  the  brethren  remaining  in  cap 
tivity,  342  ;  the  same  in  Latin,  346 ; 
to  the  Brethren  which  constantly 
cleave  unto  Christ,  349  ;  the  same  in 
Latin,  352;  to  Bishop  Hooper.  355; 
the  same  in  Latin,  357 ;  to  Bradford, 
358,  363,  366,  367,  369,  371,  377,  379; 
to  Cranmer  and  Latimer,  361  ;  to 
Cranmer,  362 ;  to  Berneher,  372, 
380,  382;  to  Dr  Weston,  375;  to 
Wm.  Punt,  377;  to  Mrs  Glover, 
383;  Augustine  Berneher  to  Ridley, 
381 ;  Grindall  to  Ridley,  386 ;  Ed 
ward  VI.  to  Ridley— Appendix  VI., 
507 ;  Stephen  Gardiner  to  Ridley — 
Appendix  IV.,  495;  the  Protector  to 
Ridley— Appendix  V.,  505;  Dr  Tur 
ner  to  Fox— Appendix  III.,  48?. 

Lever,  his  faithful  preaching,  59. 

Liberius,  Bishop  of  Rome,  127- 

Lieutenant,  the,  of  the  Tower,  155. 

Lifiey,  a  glover,  his  tidings,  373. 

Lincoln,  the  Bishop  of,  claims  that 
Ridley  should  take  oft'  his  cap,  2-56 ; 
the  Bishopric  of,  the  first  in  England 
in  dignity,  263;  the  See  of,  mother  to 
the  See  of  Oxford,  264 ;  part  of  the  See 
of,  made  into  the  See  of  Oxford,  264. 

Lindanus,  307. 


Linus — his  writings  spurious,  220 ;  con 
firmed  by  Eusebius,  221. 

Loaf— panis  rendered  loaf,  157. 

Lombardus,  Petrus — Note  A.,  509. 

London,  Synod  of,  226. 

Lord's  Supper,  the,  mentioned  by  three 
Evangelists,  Matthew,  Mark  antl 
Luke,  6-15;  set  forth  by  St  Paul, 
7 ;  described  by  Matthew  and  Mark, 
7-8;  agreement  between  the  de 
scription  of,  by  St  Luke  and  St  Paul, 
7;  a  reception  of  life  or  death,  8; 
opinion  of  the  Messaloniansor  Euty- 
chites  concerning,  9;  the  same  senti 
ments  held  by  the  Anabaptists  and 
the  Messalonians  concerning,  9;  none 
fed  by,  save  the  regenerate,  9 ; 
none  receiveth  damnation  through, 
which  is  not  dead  before,  9  ;  how  far 
there  was  no  controversy  concerning, 
9 ;  controversy  concerning,  wherein 
it  consists,  not  whether  the  Sacra 
ment  be  better  or  not  than  ordinary 
bread,  or  the  Lord's  table  better 
than  the  table  of  an  ordinary  person, 
10—11;  the  Lord's  body  contained 
in  it,  not  as  in  a  place  but  as  in  a 
mystery  (theory  of  certain  Papists), 
33;  duly  administered  in  Edward 
VI. 's  time,  51 ;  administered  by  the 
Papists  so  that  none  can  understand 
its  import,  51 ;  as  administered  by 
the  Papists,  not  a  setting  forth  of  the 
Lord's  death,  51. 

Lucius,  his  decretals,  180. 

Lyra,  his  opinion  of  the  Church,  127. 

Maccabees,  examples  of  valour  for  the 
Lord's  sake,  139. 

Madew,  Dr,  169. 

Magistrates  told  their  faults  in  King' 
Edward's  days,  58. 

Majesty,  the  divine,  not  absent  from 
the  divine  mysteries,  251. 

Manichees,  283. 

Marcellus— Appendix  IV.,  500. 

Marcion,  200. 

Mare  Mediterraneum,  263. 

Mark,  what  is  the  Beast's,  69. 

Marshall,  Dr,  the  Vice-Chancellor,  re 
fuses  to  allow  Ridley  to  speak,  295. 

Martyr,  Peter,  at  Strasburg,  387. 

Mary,  Princess,  Ridley's  interview  with 
the,  x. 

Mass,  the  Latin,  agrees  with  St  Paul 
and  St  Luke  as  to  the  words  spoken 
over  the  bread,  but  disagrees  with 
them  as  to  those  spoken  over  the 
cup,  23 ;  makes  the  creature  into  the 
Creator,  51 ;  a  blasphemous  kind  of 
sacrifice,  52;  causes  which  moved 
Ridley  to  abstain  from,  103 ;  per 
formed  in  a  strange  tongue,  103 ;  has 
neither  edifying  nor  comfort,  103 ; 
doth  not  shew  forth  the  Lord's  death, 
103 ;  not  a  communion  but  a  private 
table,  103 ;  denies  the  Lord's  blood 
to  the  Laity,  103 ;  a  servile  serving 
of  the  holy  sign,  106;  proved  to  be 


INDKX. 


evil  by  its  acceptance  among  the  peo 
ple,  119;  plucks  away  the  honour 
from  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  107; 
contrary  to  Heb.  x.  (with  one  offer 
ing),  107;  requires  a  conjuring  of 
bread,  water,  salt,  &c.  107  ;  requires 
an  Amen  to  things  which  the  people 
do  not  understand,  108;  the  Priest 
who  celebrates,  turns  away  from  the 
people,  108;  inconsistencies  of  the 
prayers  used  in  performing,  108 ; 
those  who  perform,  know  not  what 
they  say,  110;  arguments  against, 
by  Latimer,  110;  not  mentioned  by 
St  Paul  in  his  Epistles  to  Titus  and 
Timothy,  112;  not  supported  by  the 
New  Testament,  1 12 ;  further  reasons 
against,  by  Ridley  and  Latimer,  118; 
the  Sacrament  of,  denied  by  Ridley, 
122-123 ;  the  marrow-bones  of  the, 
altogether  detestable,  122 ;  oblation 
and  adoration,  the  chief  parts  of  the, 
122 ;  the  Lord's  institution  not  ob 
served  in,  123;  a  Sacrament  of  sin 
gularity,  123;  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
129; — NoteE.,  511;  popish,  not  to 
be  imitated,  319. 

Mass  Priests,  shaven  swarm  of,  150; 
rob  the  Church  of  her  true  name 
(catholic),  150;  like  ravening  wolves, 
150;  exercise  merciless  murder  and 
tyranny,  150. 

May,  Dr,  Commissioner  at  Cambridge, 

Melancthon,  his  explanation  of  a  diffi 
cult  passage  in  Augustine,  128;  his 
Epistle  to  Myconius,  158;  his  works 
all  burned  in  Oxford,  280  ;  his  Loci 
Communes,  280  ;  his  name  specitied 
in  the  list  of  those  whose  works  were 
to  be  burned.  1  Phil,  and  Mary,  280. 

Miconius  or  Myconius,  called  by  Feck- 
nam,  Micronius,  158. 

Missa,  Mistress,  the  title  of  a  Book 
against  the  Mass,  by  Dr  Turner, 
108,  510. 

Moods,  logical,  197. 

Moreman,  Dr,  his  answer  in  the  Convo 
cation  House,  (side  note),  36;  Dr, 

Morgan,  Sergeant,  his  madness,  362. 

Moses  not  deceived  by  Jethro's  daugh 
ter,  84. 

Mystery  of  Faith,  the  Latin  Mass,  en 
titled  "Mysterium  Fidei  " — rather 
deserving  the  name  of  u  Mysterium 
Jniquitatis,"  the  Mystery  of  Iniquity, 
23;  the  words  umysterium  fidei" 
added  to  the  blessing  on  the  Sacra 
mental  Cup,  23. 

Necessity  of  declaring  the  whole  truth, 

14. 

Nero,  his  lying  in  wait  for  Peter,  221. 
Nestorians,  Gardiner's  opinion  of,  314. 
Newcourt,  his  repertorium  cited,  331. 
Nice,  Council  of,  collected  out  of  the 

Fathers,  248 ;  a  great  authority,  248; 

a  forged  Canon  of,  249  ;  condemned 


in  the  East,  134 ; — second  Council  of, 

94. 

Northern  Gads  (spears),  145. 
Notes,  those   taken  by   Ridley   fallen 

into  other  hands,  127- 
Novatus,  120. 
Nutrition  in  a  Sacrament — what,  175. 

Obedience  due  to  God  rather  than  to 
man,  143. 

Oblation  made  by  the  Roman  priest 
hood  for  the  quick  and  dead,  23 ; 
injurious  to  Christ's  Passion,  23; 
standeth  upon  transubstantiation,  23. 

(Ecolampadius,  his  opinion  of  the  Sa 
crament,  158. 

Oglethovpe,  Dr,  191. 

O.  J.  The  conclusion  to  the  reader 
£<fter  the  conferences,  is  signed  J.  O. 
probably  John  Olde,  who  wrote  some 
controversial  tracts  on  the  Protestant 
side,  151. 

Old  Jewry,  a  church  near  (probably  St 
Stephen's,  Coleman  Street) — Appen 
dix  IV.,  499. 

Origen,  his  high  reputation,  asserts  the 
material  substance  of  bread  in  the 
Sacrament,  28,  29  ;  this  passage  ex 
pounded  by  Ridley,  29,  30  ;  asserted 
to  be  spurious  by  the  defenders  of 
transubstantiation,  29;  noted  to  have 
erred,  30  ;  his  errors  corrected  by  St 
Jerome  and  Epiphanius,  31 ;  did  not 
err  concerning  the  Eucharist,  30; 
said  by  the  Romanists  to  have  spoken 
of,  as  certain  mystical  meat  given  to 
Converts  before  Baptism.  30 ;  his 
assertion  that  there  is  a  letter  that 
killeth— his  interpretation  of  this 
passage,  31,  32;  his  judgment  on 
the  Sacrament,  160;  not  Catholic, 
163  ;  his  opinion  concerning  the  Sa 
crament,  241. 

Oxford,  the  See  of,  once  a  part  of  the 
diocese  of  Lincoln,  264  ;  the  Univer 
sity  of,  359. 

Paget,  Lord,  ambassador  to  France  and 

Germany,  394. 
Pancras,    St,   Middlesex,  a    prebend, 

Papists,  9;  misapprehended  the  Fa 
thers,  114;  the  long  faith  of,  114; 
given  to  brawl  about  words,  114; 
wrest  the  Scripture,  116;  not  lawful 
to  bear  the  yoke  with  them,  124  ; 
thieves  and  robbers,  401 ;  mixed  their 
ministration  with  new  inventions, 
401 ;  their  juggling  in  the  mass,  401 ; 
introduced  prayers  in  an  unknown 
tongue,  401 ;  authors  of  lying  le 
gends  and  feigned  miracles,  402; 
compared  to  Antiochus,  402;  com 
pared  to  the  border  thieves,  402. 

Papistry,  filthy  soil  of,  150. 

Pardoners,  55. 

Paris,  University  of,  iii. 

Parishioners  to  behave  reverently  in 
Church,  321. 


522 


INDEX. 


Parker,  Dr.  169;  Ridley's  letter  to, 
335. 

Parliament,  Christ's  great,  116;  En 
glish,  variable  in  their  decisions,  131. 

Paschasius,  159. 

Pastors  and  ministers,  responsibility  of, 
95. 

Patriarchs,  four,  in  the  time  of  Augus 
tine,  263. 

Paul.  St,  gave  in  his  Epistle  the  same 
form  of  words  as  to  the  Sacrament 
which  he  had  before  by  word  given 
to  the  Corinthians,  19  ;  beheaded  by 
Nero,  76;  his  vision  proves  the  re 
surrection  of  Christ,  219. 

Paul's  Cross,  Ridley's  open  penance 
at,  119. 

Pelagians,  367. 

Perdition,  time  of,  a  phrase  used  by 
the  papists,  255. 

Perin,his  sermon  on  the  Sacrament,309. 

Perne,  169. 

Peter  Martyr,  ix. 

Peter,  St,  crucified  by  Nero,  76 ;  said 
to  have  beheld  Christ  after  his  ascen 
sion,  221. 

Petronius  wished  to  set  up  an  image  in 
God's  temple,  85 ;  opposed  by  the 
Jews  in  so  doing,  85. 

Petrus  Crinitus,  his  book  "de  honesta 
disciplina,"  93. 

Pharasius,  Patriarch  of  Constantinople, 
93. 

Pharisees,  9. 

Philip,  King  of  Spain,  titular  King  of 
England,  394. 

Pie,  Mr,  191. 

Piers  Plowman.  Dr  Turner's  opinion 
of— Appendix  III.,  494. 

Pighius,  307- 

Pilate  opposed  by  the  Jews  when  he 
wished  to  set  up  an  image  in  God's 
temple,  85. 

Pilkington,  169. 

Piteous  lamentation,  the  date  of  its 
first  publication  (note),  80. 

Placebo,  55;  what— Note  C.,  510. 

Plessy,  du— Note  A.,  509. 

Po3nitentes,not  allowed  to  be  present  at 
the  Eucharist,  160. 

Pole,  Cardinal,  Legate  a  latere,  255; 
Deacon  of  St  Mary  in  Cosmedin,270; 
ambassador  to  France  and  Germany, 
394. 

Pollard,  169. 

Polycarp,  St,  his  answer  to  the  chief 
ruler,  144. 

Pontianus,  his  decretals,  180;  expres 
sion  "cpnficere  corpus  Domini,"  180. 

Pope,  petition  to  be  delivered  from,  49; 
rescinded,  50. 

Pope,  Master,  disputes  with  Ridley, 
161 ;  says  that  "he  hath  an  affection 
for  Ridley,"  162. 

Popes — laws  by  kings  of  England 
against  them,  164. 

Popish  pardons,  valued  in  England,  55; 
consequent  on  the  corruption  of  God's 
word,  55. 


Powell,  Win.,  a  printer,  80. 

Prayer,  best  mixed  with  study,  119 ;  of 
Ridley  for  support  under  persecu 
tion,  142 ;  Common,  to  be  said  on 
Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  320. 

Preface  to  Treatise  on  Transubstantia- 
tion,  3;  by  Fox  to  the  Examination 
of  Ridley,  255. 

President,  the  word  used  by  Tertullian, 
181. 

Presumption  forbidden,  65. 

Priesthood,  sacramental  words  of  the 
order  of,  doubt  whether  such  words 
were  ever  spoken  to  Peter  or  Paul, 
19 ;  the  Roman,  make  oblation  unto 
God  for  the  quick  and  dead,  23 ;  dig 
nity  of,  defended  by  Ridley,  181. 

Priests,  popish,  in  communion  have 
separate  tables  or  altars,  105. 

Prolocutor,  his  promises  to  Ridley  not 
kept,  305. 

Prophecies  concerning  Babylon  to  be 
spiritually  understood,  70. 

Protestants,  9-14. 

Protestation  or  Preface  of  Ridley,  192. 

Punishment  of  Heretics  more  gentle  in 
the  earlier  ages,  61. 

Punt,  Wm.,  Ridley's  messenger,  364. 

Purgatory  prohibited  to  be  taught, 
320. 

Quarles,his  lines  concerning  Ridley,xii. 

Query,  could  the  Sacrament  of  the  Altar 
be  received  for  another  ?  answered  by 
Ridley,  316;  what  is  the  oblation  of 
Christ  in  the  Mass?  answered  by  Rid- 
ley,317 ;  wherein  consisteth  the  Mass  ? 
answered  by  Ridley,  317;  when  the 
Priest  first  received  the  Eucharist  by 
himself?  answered  by  Ridley,  317; 
whether  such  custom  ought  to  con 
tinue  ?  answered  by  Ridley,  317 ; 
whether  Masses  satisfactory  ought  to 
continue?  answered  by  Ridley,  317; 
whether  the  Gospel  ought  to  be  taught 
in  the  Mass  to  the  understanding  of 
the  people?  answered  by  Ridley, 
317;  whether  the  Mass  should  take 
place  in  a  language  known  to  the 
people  ?  answered  by  Ridley,  317 ; 
when  the  reserving  of  the  Sacrament 
began,  317. 

Questions,  three,  proposed  by  Dr  Smith 
at  Oxford,  192;  by  Dr  Smith,  con 
cerning  Transubstantiation,  192. 

Quintus,  cited  from  Eusebius,  66. 

Quondams,  college  of,  360. 

Rabanus    Maurus,   Abbot  of   Fulda, 

175 ;  his  work  de  Sermonis  Proprie- 

tate,  175;  quoted  by  Illyrius  Flacius, 

175. 
Ratramnus,   the   same   as  Bertramus, 

159 ;  his  book  translated  by  William 

Hugh,  159. 
Reason,  man's,  not  according  to   the 

will  of  God,  133. 
Reasons  why  the  Lord's  board  should 

be  rather  a  table  than  an  altar,  321. 


IXDEX. 


523 


Regeneration,  what  men  profess  in  it, 
57. 

Relics  prohibited,  320. 

Religious  Education  universal  in  Ed 
ward  VI. 's  reign,  49;  discontinued. 
49;  Services  in  the  vulgar  tongue^ 
50;  in  Latin  only,  51. 

Reviling  against  Ridley,  222. 

Rial  or  royal,  382. 

Ridley,  Nicholas,  biographical  notice 
of,  i ;  origin  of  the  name,  i ;  his 
descent,  ii;  at  school  at  Newcastle 
upon  Tyne,  ii ;  entered  at  Pembroke 
College,  ii ;  B.A.,  ii ;  elected  Fellow 
of  University  College,  Oxford,  but 
declined  the  honour,  ii;  Fellow  of 
Pembroke  College,  Cambridge,  ii; 
M.A.,  iii;  College  agent  forTylney, 
Soham,  and  Saxthorpe  Churches,  iii; 
went  to  Paris,  and  studied  at  the  Sor- 
bonne,  iii;  returned  to  England,  Jun. 
Treasurer  of  Pembroke  College,  iv  ; 
Senior  Proctor,  iv  ;  signed  the  decree 
against  the  Pope's  supremacy  at 
Cambridge,  iv ;  B.D.,  iii;  Chaplain 
to  the  University,  and  Public  Orator, 
iii ;  Chaplain  to  Archbishop  Cranmer, 
iii ;  Vicar  of  Herne,  iv ;  Master  of 
Pembroke  College  and  D.I).,  v ; 
Chaplain  to  Henry  VIII.,  v;  Pre 
bendary  of  Canterbury,  iii ;  Pre 
bendary  of  Westminster,  iii;  Vicar 
of  Soham,  iii;  Bishop  of  Rochester, 
v;  Commissioner  to  visit  Cambridge, 
iii;  Bishop  of  London,  v;  nominated 
Bishop  of  Durham,  iii ;  excepted 
from  the  amnesty  by  Mary,  iii ;  com 
mitted  to  the  Tower,  July  1553,  iii ; 
sent  to  Oxford  to  dispute,  iii ;  Mar 
tyrdom,  Oct.  16,  1555,  iii ;  preaches 
the  funeral  sermon  of  Francis  I.,  v  ; 
his  personal  appearance,  vi ;  his 
learning,  vi ;  his  courtesy  to  Bishop 
Heath,  vi ;  his  domestic  arrange 
ments,  vii ;  kindness  to  Bishop  Bon- 
ner's  mother,  viii ;  persecuted  by 
Bonner,  viii;  how  converted  to  the 
Reformation,  viii;  his  interview  with 
the  Princess  Mary,  x ;  his  foreboding 
of  his  own  death,  xi ;  his  character, 
xii ;  Quarks'  lines  concerning,  xii ; 
his  share  in  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  xii ;  his  influence  with  Ed 
ward  VI.,  xiii;  causes  the  king  to 
found  Bridewell,  Christ's  Hospital 
and  St  Bartholomew's  Hospital,  xiii 
list  of  his  works  from  Tanner,  xiii 
which  of  his  works  preserved,  xvi 
his  treatise  '  de  abominationibus  se- 
dis  Romana?,'  371 ;  his  annotations 
on  Tonstall,  373 ;  his  collection  of 
Writings,  373 ;  sends  his  disputation 
in  writing  to  Dr  Weston,  375;  re 
quests  Weston  to  shew  his  written 
replies  to  the  higher  House  of  the 
Convocation,  376;  his  opinion  con 
cerning  Transubstantiation,  15;  care 
of  souls  committed  to,  15;  in  danger 
of  death  from  the  laws,  15;  careless 


as  to  being  called  a  Protestant,  15; 
his  treatise  against  Transubstantia 
tion,  1  ;  his  Piteous  Lamentation, 
47  ;  his  treatise  on  Image-worship, 
81 ;  declares  the  office  of  God's  word, 
56  ;  speaks  not  to  the  contemner,  58  ; 
entreats  Latimer  to  pray  for  him, 
146 ;  declaration  concerning  Tran 
substantiation,  171  ;  his  Pra?fatio  et 
Protestatio  in  English,  192;  his  con 
scientious  dissent  from  Romanism, 
193  ;  complains  of  lack  of  books, 
193 ;  submitteth  to  the  Church  of 
Christ,  193;  is  answered  by  Dr  Wes 
ton  touching  the  lack  of  books,  193 ; 
is  permitted  time  to  prepare  his  an 
swers,  194;  demands  notaries  to  re 
port  his  answers,  194;  chooses  Jewel 
and  Mounson  as  reporters,  194;  an 
swers  to  the  first  proposition  and  de 
nies  Transubstantiation,  194  ;  ex 
plains  his  answer  to  the  first  propo 
sition  aforesaid,  195 ;  proposes  three 
doubts,  195;  interrupted  in  his  pre 
face  by  Dr  Weston,  195;  confirms 
his  answer  to  the  first  proposition 
aforesaid,  197;  proves  Transubstan 
tiation  inconsistent  with  Scripture, 
197 ;— with  the  articles  of  the  Faith, 
199; — with  the  Institution  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  199 ;  to  profane  holy 
things,  199;  interrupted  by  Pie,  199; 
accused  of  blasphemy  by  Weston, 
200 ;  is  forced  to  leave  the  read 
ing  of  his  "  Praefatio,"  200;  proves 
Transubstantiation  to  maintain  need 
less  miracles,  200 ; — to  give  occasion 
for  heresy,  200 ;— to  be  inconsistent 
with  the  Fathers,  200;  his  confession 
of  Faith,  201 ;  quotes  the  Fathers  in 
support  of  his  Confession  of  Faith, 
201 ;  the  second  proposition  brought 
against  him  at  Oxford,  202 ;  replies 
to  the  second  proposition,  202;  ex 
plains  his  reply  to  the  second  propo 
sition,  202 ;  confirms  his  reply  to  the 
proposition  aforesaid,  203 ;  speaks  of 
the  Analogy  of  the  Sacraments,  205; 
commends  the  works  of  Bertram, 
206 ;  brought  to  a  right  knowledge 
of  the  Sacrament,  206 ;  the  third  pro 
position  brought  against  him  at  Ox 
ford,  206;  answers  to  the  third  pro 
position,  206 ;  explains  his  answer  to 
the  third  proposition,  207;  confirms 
his  answer  to  the  proposition  afore 
said,  208 ;  proves  that  no  priest  but 

Christ  can  sacrifice  for  sin,   208; 

that  there  is  but  one  sacrifice  of  the 
Church,  208;  distinguishes  between 
the  order  of  Aaron,  and  that  of  Mel- 
chisedek,  208 ;  shews  the  vanity  of 
the  Mass,  208 ;  disproves  the  neces 
sity  of  a  daily  oblation,  209; — the 
propitiatory  character  of  the  Mass, 
209;  adduces  further  arguments  con 
cerning  the  Mass,  209;  quotes  scrip 
ture  to  the  same  effect,  209  ;  notes 
the  distinction  between  the  bloody 


524 


INDEX. 


and  unbloody  sacrifice,  209;  quotes 
the  opinion  of  the  Fathers  as  to  the 
"  unbloody  sacrifice,"  211 ;  appeals 
to  a  more  competent  tribunal,  212 ; 
appeals  to  Almighty  God,  212 ;  op 
posed  by  Dr  Smith,  212;  speaks  of 
Christ's  ascent  into  Heaven,  213; 
reproves  the  illogical  argument  and 
equivocations  of  Dr  Smith,  214  ;  ar 
gues  as  to  the  perpetual  sitting  of 
Christ  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Fa 
ther,  214;  passages  from  his  own 
MS.,  217-221 ;  explains  the  opinions 
of  Chrysostom  and  Bernard  as  to  the 
Ubiquity  of  Christ,  215  et  seq. ;  ex 
plains  how  Christ  took  up  his  body 
and  yet  left  it  with  us,  224 ;  quali 
fies  some  remarks  of  St  Chrysostom, 
224 ;  reproves  the  reviling  of  Dr 
Weston,  225 ;  asserts  that  he  com 
pelled  no  man  to  subscribe  to  the 
Catechism,  226 ;  put  forth  no  Cate 
chism,  227;  set  his  hand  to  the  Cate 
chism,  but  did  not  write  it,  227  ;  said 
by  the  judges  to  have  had  the  Cate 
chism  attributed  to  him  by  Cranmer, 
227 ;  expresses  his  disbelief  that 
Cranmer  so  asserted,  227;  cites  the 
opinion  of  Theophylact  on  the  Sa 
craments,  229 ;  answered  by  Ogle- 
thorpe,  229;  speaks  English  in  his 
disputation,  225;  shews  how  we  are 
sprinkled  with  Christ's  blood,  225 ; 
his  answers  termed  ridiculous  by  the 
judges,  225 ;  asserts  that  Christ  gave 
us  really  and  truly  his  flesh,  234 ; 
disputed  against  by  Dr  Glyn,  234 ; 
contumeliously  treated  by  Dr  Glyn, 
235 ;  called  a  shifter  away  of  Scrip 
ture  and  the  Fathers,  235 ;  worship 
ped  Christ  in  the  Sacrament,  235 ; 
held  the  true  body  of  Christ  to  be 
sacramentally  in  the  Eucharist,  236 ; 
explains  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"  worship,"  236 ;  hissed  at  by  the 
people,  238;  appeals  to  God's  judge 
ment,  238;  declares  the  Eucharist  to 
be  a  Sacrament,  239 ;  rejects  the 
Council  of  Lateran,  246 ;  accepts  the 
Council  of  Nice,  248;  asserts  the 
Lamb  of  God  to  be  in  Heaven,  248; 
denies  an  alleged  Canon  of  the  Coun 
cil  of  Nice,  249 ;  disputed  against  by 
one  whom  he  knew  not,  249  ;  denies 
any  agreement  about  Transubstantia- 
tion  between  the  Eastern  and  Western 
Churches  at  the  Council  of  Florence, 
or  elsewhere,  249;  contradicted  on 
this  point  by  Dr  Cole,  250 ;  reasserts 
his  previous  statement,  250 ;  his  ex 
planation  of  the  words  'unbloody 
sacrifice,'  250;  his  sentiments  as  to 
worshipping  the  body  of  Christ,  251 ; 
his  last  examination,  255 ;  his  last 
examination  conducted  by  the  Bi 
shops  of  Lincoln,  Gloucester  and 
Bristol,  255;  tried  first,  before  La- 
timer,  256;  stood  bareheaded  to  hear 
hi*  accusation,  256;  put  on  his  cap 


at  the  naming  of  the  Pope,  256 ;  re 
fuses  to  acknowledge  the  authority 
of  the  Legate,  256;  reproved  by  the 
Bishop  of  Lincoln  for  not  putting  off 
his  cap,  256;  replies  to  the  Bishop 
of  Lincoln,  257 ;  reverences  the  per 
son,  but  not  the  Legacy,  of  Cardinal 
Pole,  257  ;  reverences  not  the  Pope, 
258;  his  cap  taken  off  by  one  of  the 
Beadles,  259 ;  exhorted  to  recant, 
259  ;  replies  again  to  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln,  261 ;  notes  three  points  in 
the  Bishop  of  Lincoln's  discourse, 
first,  that  the  See  of  Rome  was  found 
ed  by  Peter,  261 ; — secondly,  that  the 
Fathers  agree  to  this,  261; — that 
Ridley  himself  was  once  of  the  same 
opinion,  261 ;  replies  to  the  first 
point,  261;  declares  the  Church  to 
be  founded  on  Christ's  truth,  262  ; 
expounds  the  words  of  Christ  to 
Peter,  262;  notes  the  lineal  descent 
of  the  Roman  Bishops,  262;  notes 
why  the  Roman  Bishops  have  been 
esteemed  more  than  other  Bishops, 
262 ;  notes  the  precedency  in  England 
of  the  See  of  Lincoln,  263;  concedes 
honour  to  Rome  so  long  as  Rome 
was  worthy,  263;  proves  by  the  tes 
timony  of  Gregory  that  the  Pope  is 
Antichrist,  263 ;  notes  the  four  Pa 
triarchs  of  St  Augustine's  time,  263 ; 
replies  to  the  charge  of  apostasy, 
264 ;  cites  St  Paul  as  having  been 
once  a  persecutor,  264 ;  sent  by  the 
Council  to  exhort  Gardiner,  Bishop 
of  Winchester,  264 ;  severe  against 
Anabaptists,  264;  never  a  favourer 
of  Transubstantiation,  264 ;  defends 
and  explains  his  Sermon  at  Paul's 
Cross,  265;  argues  with  the  Bishop 
of  Lincoln  as  to  the  meaning  of 
St  Augustine  with  respect  to  Ro 
man  supremacy,  265 ;  rebukes  those 
who  spoke  irreverently  of  the  Sacra 
ment,  265 ;  exhorted  to  submit  him 
self  to  the  Pope,  266 ;  promised  re 
conciliation,  266 ;  threatened  with 
punishment,  267 ;  acknowledges  an 
universal  Church,  268 ;  refuses  to 
confine  the  Church  to  Rome,  268 ; 
cites  Vincentius  Lyrinensis  in  sup- 

Sjrt  of  his  opinion,  268  ;  accuses  the 
oman  Church  of  divers  faults,  268; 
explains  certain  apostolic  precepts, 
268;  his  opinions  required  in  direct 
answers,  2/0;  promised  a  copy  of 
the  Articles  against  him,  270 ;  pro 
mised  pen,  ink,  and  paper  and  books, 
270 ;  articles  against  him  and  Lati- 
mer — five  in  number,  270-1 ;  exami 
ned  upon  the  articles  brought  against 
him,  2/2;  remonstrates  on  being 
hurried  in  his  answers,  272  ;  states 
what  justice  required  in  his  case, 
272 ;  compares  his  treatment  with 
that  of  Christ,  272 ;  unjustly  accused 
of  making  the  king  Pilate,  27-2 ; 
compares  his  accusers  with  Caiaphas, 


1M)KX. 


525 


272 ;  promised  a  day  to  prepare  his 
answers,  272;    protests  against   the 
authority   of  the  judges,  272 ;    not 
suffered  to  give  his  reasons  for  pro 
testing,   273 ;   answers    to    the    first 
article  of  accusation,  2/3 ;  his  answer 
not  understood,  273  ;  gives  another 
answer  which  is  received,  273;  shews 
that  it  is  impossible  to  answer  yes  or 
no,  273  ;  answers  to  the  second  article 
of  accusation,  274 ;  his  answer  not  re 
ceived,  274;  gives  another  reply,  274; 
determined  to  have  answered  the  se 
cond  article  affirmatively,  27 5 ;  cites 
Augustine  on  the  Sacraments,  275 ; 
answers  to  the  third  article  of  accu 
sation,  275;  his  answer  to  the  third 
article   declared    to    be   affirmative, 
270 ;  replies  to  the  fourth  article  of 
accusation,  276;  replies  to  the  fifth 
article  of  accusation,  2/6;  his  reply 
to  the   first  article  not  understood, 
276;  remanded  till  next  day  to  an 
swer  again,    276;   ordered   to  have 
pen,  ink,  and  paper,  276;  his  appear 
ance  on  the  second  day's  session,  277 ; 
seated  at  a  table  covered  with  silk, 
277;  again  required  to  remove  his 
cap  at  the  Pope's  name,  but  refuses 
as  before,  277 ;  the  former  examina 
tion  of,   recapitulated,  278;   argues 
again  on  the  words  of  St  Augustine 
touching  the  supremacy  of  the  Ro 
man  See,  279 ;   objects    to    Bishop 
White's  book  of  extracts,  279;  re 
futes  an  argument  founded  on  Cyril, 
280 ;  reproves  the  irreverent  terms  of 
the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  281 ;   writes 
an  answer  to  the  first  article,  281 ; 
his  answer  taken  from  him  by  Bishop 
White's  order,  281 ;  not  allowed  to 
read  his  answer,  281 ;  his  third  an 
swer  to  the  first  article  declared  to  be 
blasphemous  by  the  Commissioners, 
282;   his  third  answer   to  the    first 
article  examined   by   the    Commis 
sioners,  282 ;  his  answer  only  read 
by  parts,  282;  refers  his  judges  to 
his  written  replies,  282;  exhorted  to 
recant  by  Brooks.  Bishop  of  Glou 
cester,  282 ;  said  to  lean  to  his  own 
singular  wit,  283;  the  main  support 
of  the  Reformation,  283 ;  accused  by 
Brooks  of  self-conceit,  283 ;  refuses 
to  allow  that  Cranmer  depended  on 
him,  284;   gently   exhorted  by   the 
Bishop  of    Lincoln    to    turn,    285; 
granted  leave  to  speak  forty  words, 
285 ;  begins  to  speak  about  the  su 
premacy,  285;  stopped  by  Dr  Wes- 
ton,  285 ;  assured  that  it  was  grievous 
to  condemn  him,  285;  condemned  by 
Dr  White,   Bishop  of  Lincoln,  as 
Commissioner,  286;  communication 
between,  and  Dr  Brooks,  Bishop  of 
Gloucester,  Dr  Marshall,Vice-Chan- 
cellor,  and  others,  286;  refuses  the 
oft'er    of    mercy   made    by     Bishop 
Brooks,  287 ;   not  taken  for  a  true 


Bishop  by  the  papists,  288  ;  degraded 
from  the  office  of  a  priest,  288 ;  re 
fuses  to  put  on   the  surplice  to  be 
degraded,  288  ;  has  the  surplice  put 
on  him,   289 ;  inveighs  against  the 
"trinkets  "  appertaining  to  the  Mass, 
289  ;  the  chalice  and  wafer  held  in 
his  hand,  289 ;  the  office  of  preaching 
taken  from  him,  289  ;  deprived  of  the 
surplice,  290 ;  desires  conference  with 
Bishop   Brooks,    290 ;    recommends 
Bertram    on    the   Sacrament,    290; 
speaks  of  his   worldly  affairs,  290; 
pleads  for  certain  poor  men,  290  ; 
complaints  that  what  he  had  bestowed 
when    Bishop    of    London    on    his 
sister's  husband,  is  unlawfully  taken 
away,   290;    reads  his   supplication 
to  Bishop  Brooks,  291  ;  asserts  that 
he  could  not  be  charged  with  any 
open  crime,  291  ;  confesses  his  sin 
ful  nature,  291  ;  bidden  to  repent  by 
the  Warden  of  a  certain  College,  292 ; 
his  behaviour  on  the  night  previous 
to  his  Martyrdom,  292 ;  speaks  of  his 
suffering  as  a  marriage,  292 ;  com 
forts  his  sorrowing  friends,  292 ;  re 
fuses  to  have  any  one  to  sit  up  with 
him,  292 ;   his  behaviour  at  the  time 
of  his   Martyrdom,   293;   his  dress 
suitable  to  his  episcopal  dignity,  293 ; 
looked  towards  Bocardo  in  hope  to 
see   Cranmer,  293 ;   brought   to  the 
stake  in  company  with  Latimer,  293 ; 
kisses  the  stake,  and  prays  beside  it, 
294 ;  wishes  to  answer  "Dr  Smith's 
sermon,  295  ;  refuses  to  recant,  295  ; 
prepares  for  execution,   295;    gives 
away  his  apparel  and  other  things, 
296  ;  prays  for  the  realm  of  England, 
296;  is  chained  to  the  stake,  296; 
has  gunpowder  given  him,  to  be  tied 
about  his  neck,  296;  supplicates  Lord 
Williams  for  those  persons  on  whose 
behalf  he  had  already  memorialized 
the  Queen,  297;  the  pile  at  his  feet 
lighted,  297  ;  his  last  prayers,  297  ; 
his  protracted  sufferings,   298 ;   his 
death,  298 ;  the  lamentations  of  the 
people  at  his  death,   299;   smaller 
treatises  and  documents  by,  301 ;  his 
account  of  his  disputation  at  Oxford, 
303 ;  blamed  to  the  Duke  of  Somer 
set,  327  ;  opposes  the  incorporation  of 
Clare  Hall  with  Trinity  Hall,  329; 
asks  for  a   Prebend    in    St    Paul's 
for   Grindall,   331 ;    commands    the 
preachers  in  London  to  reprove  the 
sin  of  covetousness,  334 ;  asks  for  the 
nomination  to  the  Chantership  in  St 
Paul's,    336;   refuses    to    recant   at 
West's  recommendation,  338;  salutes 
Dr  Crome,  356 ;  false  reports  of  his 
behaviour  in  prison,  359;  the  book 
of  communion  taken  from  him,  359  ; 
catalogue  of  his  works  betrayed,  or 
thought  to  be,  by   Grimbold,  361 ; 
his  dissent  from  the  Romish  religion, 
361 ;  his  brother  sent  copies  of  hi* 


526 


INDEX. 


writings  to  Grimbold,  361 ;  his  writ 
ings  seized,  361 ;  his  farewell  to 
George  Shipside,  395;— to  Alice  Ship- 
side,  39(5;— to  John  Ridley,  396;— to 
Elizabeth  Ridley,  396;— to  his  sister 
of  Unthanke,  396 ;— to  Nich.  Ridley 
ofWillowmountswick,396; — toRalph 
Whittield,  397 ;  moved  from  prison 
to  prison,  390 ;  his  treatise  against 
Transubstantiation,  his  own  opinion 
of  it,  390 ;  his  strait  captivity  at 
Oxford,  391;  nominated  to  the  See 
of  Durham,  405;  his  farewell  to 
Cambridge,  406 ;— to  Pembroke  Col 
lege,  406  ;-  to  Herne,  407 ;  his  walk 
at  Pembroke  College,  407;  his  fare 
well  to  the  Church  at  Canterbury, 
407  ;— to  Rochester,  408  ;— to  West 
minster,  408;— to  London,  408;  his 
expostulation  with  the  See  of  Lon 
don,  408;  his  farewell  to  the  citizens 
of  London,  412;  his  expostulation 
with  the  Lords,  413;  his  testimony 
in  favour  of  the  early  bishops  of 
Rome,  414 ;  maintains  Rome  to  be 
the  See  of  Satan,  415;  advises  pa 
tience  to  the  persecuted,  419 ;  his 
farewell  to  the  prisoners  in  Christ's 
cause,  419;  compares  present  tribu 
lation  with  future  glory,  421 ;  notes 
the  persecutions  of  the  apostles,  423 ; 
reproves  the  fear  of  death,  425 ;  his 
consolation  to  the  persecuted,  426; 
his  farewell  to  the  flock  of  Christ, 
427 ;  his  leases  disallowed  by  Bon- 
ner,  427;  his  letter  to  the  Queen, 
427  ;  his  treatment  of  his  tenantry, 
427 »  his  tenants  how  treated  by  Bon- 
ner,  427 ;  his  letter  to  the  Queen  re 
fused  by  Bishop  Brooks,  427;  his 
petition  for  his  sister,  428;  his  plate 
left  in  his  bed-chamber,  428 ;  Dr 
Lancelot,  a  preacher,  337 ;  Thomas, 
of  the  Bull  Head  in  Cheape,  391 ; 
Robert— Appendix  III.,  492. 

Rogers,  John,  Prebendary  of  St  Pan- 
eras,  331 ;  the  English  Marian  Pro- 
tomartyr,  380. 

Rome  asserted  to  be  Antichrist,  53 ;  the 
Babylonical  beast,  53;  Babylon,  53; 
the  great  whore,  53 ;  condemned  by 
Peter  and  John,  53,  54 ;  all  things 
venal  at,  54;  the  laws  of,  unrighteous, 
55;  the  merchandise  of,  pardons, 
pilgrimages,  &c.,  55  ;  canonizes  such 
as  are  stout  in  the  Pope's  cause,  55 ; 
tolerates  immunities  from  godly  dis 
cipline,  55;  claims  the  power  to  make 
Christ's  body,  56 ;  Bishop  of,  his  au 
thority  alleged,  136; — usurped  and 
tyrannical,  136 ; — denied  by  English 
men,  136; — the  renunciation  of  his 
authority  defended  in  a  little  book, 
"de  utraque  potestate"  and  Note  G., 
512;  a  patriarchate,  263. 

Rubric  primars  prohibited,  320. 

Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist,  what  is  the 
substance  or  matter  of  it,  11 ;  the 


question  of  the  matter  of,  that  on 
which  depends  the  whole  controversy 
of  Transubstantiation,  1 1 ;  whether 
adoration  be  due  to  it,  11 ;  one  mate 
rial  substance  of  the  Sacrament  of  the 
body,  and  one  of  the  Sacrament  of  the 
blood,  12 ;  substance  of  the,  changed 
in  blessing,  as  asserted  by  Innocent 
III.,  Duns  Scotus  and  Gardiner,  16; 
substance  of  the  wine  remaineth  after 
the  blessing,  17,  18;  proved  by  the 
Evangelists,  Matthew  and  Mark,  17; 
the  substance  of  the  bread  unchanged, 
18;  differences  bet  ween  Matthew  and 
Luke  as  to  the  words  used  at  its  in 
stitution,  18 ;  of  the  blood  abused  in 
the  Latin  Mass  by  being  denied  to 
the  lay  people,  23 ;  whoso  receiveth, 
receiveth  life  or  death,  161 ;  asserted 
by  St  Augustine  to  be  life,  161 ;  not 
complete  without  unity,  nutrition  and 
conversion,  171 ;  definition  of,  by 
Augustine,  239 ;  a  visible  sign  of  in 
visible  grace,  239. 

Sacramentshow  there  is  grace  pertaining 
to,  239 ;  no  promise  made  to  the  mere 
symbols  of,  240 ;  not  bread  and  wine, 
but  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
240;  only  instruments  of  grace,  241 ; 
consist  in  the  use  of  sanctified  sym 
bols,  241 ;  the  opinion  of  Chrysostom 
concerning,  241 ;  Origen  concern 
ing,  241 ;  the  analogy  of  the,  205 ; 
nourishing  quality  of,  205;  uniting 
quality  of,  205  ;  the  similitude  in — of 
dissimilar  things,  205 ;  not  to  be  admi 
nistered  save  by  lawful  ministers,  321. 

Sacramentaries,  what,  175. 

Sacrifice,  Latimer  asserts  that  Christ 
made  none  in  his  last  Supper,  111, 
112;  wherein  it  consisteth,  211  ;  one 
in  all  places,  216. 

Salt,  conjuration  of,  to  be  health  to  be 
lievers,  107. 

Sampson,  Mr,  a  preacher,  337. 

Sanders,  380. 

Scala  Cceli,  what— Note  C.,  510. 

School,  Divinity,  at  Oxford  prepared 
for  the  trial  of  Ridley,  256. 

Schools  at  Oxford  shameless  treatment 
of  Ridley  in  the,  304. 

Scory,  Master,  in  Friesland,  387. 

Scotus,  quoted  by  du  Plessy — Note  A., 
509. 

Scriptural  examples  of  God's  ready  help 
in  extremeperils,  73, 74. 

Scripture  sufficient  for  our  salvation, 
113;  for  the  Jews  without  the  Rab 
bins,  113;  its  sufficiency  asserted  by 
St  Jerome,  113;— St  Augustine,  113; 
not  of  any  private  interpretation,  114; 
the  authority  of,  171 ;  to  be  measured 
by  authority,  not  by  number,  172. 

Scriptures  only  to  be  expounded  by 
ordained  persons,  321. 

Sedgwick,  Mr,  169. 

Sedition  always  brought  as  an  accusa 
tion  against  those  who  preached  the 
truth,  143. 


INDEX. 


527 


See  of  London,  importance  of,  336. 

Separation  from  the    Church  a  great 
crime,  119. 

Sepulchre  Paschal,  prohibited,  320. 

Seton  disputes  with  Ridley,  123. 

Seton,  Dr,  191; 

Shaxton,  Bishop  of  Salisbury,  115. 

Shipside,  Ridley's  brother-in-law,  pre 
sent  at  his  burning,  295. 

Sir  Johns,  popish  priests,  104. 

Smith,  Dr  Richard,  Ridley's  opponent 
at  Oxford,  189 ;  account  given  of 
him  by  Strype,  189;  his  letter  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  190 ;  his 
book  "  de  Sacerdotum  connubiis," 
190  ;  proposes  three  questions  for  dis 
cussion,  192;  preaches  at  the  stake 
before  Ridley  and  Latimer,  294  ;  his 
opinions  on  the  sacramental  presence, 
308 ;  asserts  that  the  impenitent  eat 
the  body  of  Christ,  309;  defends 
Transubstantiation  against  reason, 
310  ;  his  opinion  on  the  accidents  of 
bread  and  wine,  310  ;  condemns  the 
weak  reasoning  of  Gardiner,  311 ;  his 
opinion  on  the  Mass,  311 ;  denies,  by 
implication,  the  sufficiency  of  Christ's 
sacrifice,  311. 

Smith,  Mr  Secretary,  328. 

Smithfield,  xiii. 

Socrates,  his  Historia  Ecclesiastica 
cited,  xiii,  132. 

Sorhonical  clamours,  304. 

Sorbonne— Note  A.,  509. 

Soto,  a  friar,  293. 

Stafford,  Henry,  Lord— Note  G.,  512. 

Staunton,  Ridley's  receiver,  428. 

St  Bartholomew's  Hospital  founded  by 
Edward  VI.,  xiii. 

St  Stephen,  his  martyrdom,   76 ;    his 

vision,  229. 
Substance,  its  meaning  in  Theodoret, 

314. 

Suffolk,  Catherine,  Duchess  of,  382. 
Strutt's  "  Sports  and  Pastimes"  cited, 

Appendix  III.,  493. 
Sword,  the  power  of,  delivered  to  kings 

and  governors,  266. 
Synod  of  London,  226. 

Table,  why  the  Lord's  board  should 
be  after  the  form  of,  rather  than  of 
an  altar,  321. 

Tau,  a  mark  or  cross,  70- 

Tanner,  Bishop,  his  Bibliotheca  Bri- 
tanica,  xiii. 

Taylor,  Dr,  his  godly  confession,  358 ; 
Ridley's  love  tor  him,  364;  Appen 
dix  III.,  487. 

Tertullian,  Cyprian's  opinion  of  him, 
37;  calls  the  Sacramental  bread  a 
figure  of  Christ's  body,  37 ;  agrees 
with  Origen,  Hilary,  Ambrose,  Basil, 
Augustine,  &c.  as  to  the  Sacraments, 
38  ;  accused  by  the  Papists  of  writing 
carelessly,  38 ;  calls  bread  "  a  repre 
sentation  of  the  Lord's  Body,"  38 ; 
histestimony  against  Image- worship, 
86 ;  burned  frankincense  in  his  cham 


ber,  90 ;  his  approbation  of  Anti 
quity,  94;  his  testimony  to  An 
tiquity,  105;  his  judgment  on  the 
Sacrament,  160;  not  Catholic,  163; 
passage  from,  concerning  the  Pas 
chal,  233  ;  '  may  dally  in  sense  ana 
logical,'  233. 

Tertullus  accused  Paul  of  sedition,  143. 

Theodoretus  asserts  that  the  nature 
of  the  sacramental  symbols  is  not 
changed,  35 ;  asserts  that  the  Sacra 
ments  go  not  out  of  their  own  nature, 
36  ;  wrote  (as  the  Papists  say)  before 
the  determination  of  the  Church,  36; 
suspected  to  be  a  Nestorian,  36 ;  tried 
and  acquitted  at  the  Council  of  Chal- 
cedon,  36. 

Theodoret,  Eccl.  Hist,  cited,  134-144. 

Theodosius  I.  prohibits  images  or 
paintings  in  Churches,  93. 

Theophylact,  his  opinion  cited  by 
Ridley,  228;  expounded  by  Ogle- 
thorpe,  228;  Ridley's  opinion  con 
cerning  his  authority,  229;  extract 
from,  concerning  the  Sacrament,  230; 
passages  from,  disputed  by  Peter 
Martyr,  230;  uses  the  word  /uLCTaar- 
T-oixeiouxai,  230;  asserts  that  Judas 
tasted  the  Lord's  flesh,  247. 

Thomas  Aquinas,  309. 

Thomas,  Mr  William,  321. 

Thorp  the  Martyr,-Appendix  III.,494. 

Tobit,  an  example  of  devotion,  138. 

Tomkins,  a  weaver,  a  martyr,  391. 

Tot.  quots.,  what — Note  C.,  510. 

Tradition  not  so  sure  as  the  Canonical 
Scriptures,  221. 

Traditions,  vain  ones  restored  by  the 
Papists,  53. 

Transubstantiation,  whether  any  take 
place  in  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  11 ;  must  be  granted  by  those 
who  assert  that  the  matter  of  the  Sa 
crament  is  Christ's  natural  body  born 
of  the  Virgin,  11;  three  arguments 
against,  16,  17;  "argumentum  ad 
absurdum"  against,  17-20 ;  effected 
by  the  word  "  blessed,"  "  benedixit," 
in  the  opinion  of  Innocent  III.,  11 ; 
difficulty  as  to  the  words  which  effect 
the  change,  18 ;  assertion  by  many 
Romanists  that  the  change  is  effected 
by,  or  at,  the  words  "  hoc  est  corpus 
memn,"  26;  takes  place  at  the  last 
syllable  "um,"  27;  begins  with  a 
miracle  and  ends  with  a  miracle,  31 ; 
asserted  to  be  necessary  to  avoid  the 
absurdity  of  Christ's  "impanation," 
34;  denied  by  Origen,  pp.  29,  31,  by 
Chrysostom,32,  34,  by  Theodoret,  35, 
36;  contrary  to  Scripture,171;  passages 
of  Scripture  cited  against,  172;  second 
ground  against,  173;  condemned  by 
the  Fathers,  173; — by  Dionysius,  173; 
— by  Ignatius,  173; — by  Irena?us,173; 
—by  Tertullian,  173  ;— by  Chrysos- 
tom,  174; — by  Cyprian,  1/4; — by 
Theodoret,  1/4 ;— by  Gelasius,  174  ; 
— by  Hesychius,  174  ;— by  Bertram, 


528 


INDEX. 


174 ; — contrary  to  the  nature  of  a  Sa 
crament,  175 ;  this  proved  by  Cyprian, 
173;_by  Rabanus,  173;— by  Chry- 
sostom,  173 ;  contrary  to  the  Creed,  i 
176 ;  proved  so  by  St  Augustine,  176 ; 
discussed  at  Oxford,  185  et  seq. ;  ap 
plicable  as  much  to  the  wine  as  the 
bread,  204;  contradictory  to  itself,  218 ; 
rejected  by  the  Eastern  Church,  237. 

Tresham,  Dr,  191 ;  prayeth  for  Ridley's 
conversion,  245  ;  styled  a  "fox  under 
sheep's  clothing,"  245 ;  cites  a  decree 
of  the  Lateran  Council,  245;  an 
swered  by  Ridley  as  to  the  authority 
of  the  said  Lateran  Council,  246. 

Trinity  Hall,  Cambridge,  intention  to 
incorporate  with  Clare  Hall,  327 ; 
Stephen  Gardiner,  Master  of,  327- 

Trithemius,  his  Catalogus,  159. 

Troubles   in   England,    France,   Ger 
many,  and  Italy,  through  the  contro 
versy  concerning  the  Sacrament  of  j 
the  Eucharist,  5. 

Truth  needeth  not  to  be  maintained 
with  lies,  10. 

Turner,Dr,his  book,"  Mistress  Missa," 
Note  D.,  511. 

Tychonius,  his  rule  concerning  the 
Church,  cited  by  St  Augustine,  126. 

Tyndale  or  Tynedale,  145. 

"  Unio  Dissidentium,"  Appendix  III., 
490. 

Unity  in  evil  not  to  be  desired,  121 ;  ! 
antiquity  and  universality,  156;  in  j 
the  Church,  as  to  the  Sacrament,  j 
forty  years  before  Ridley,  163 ;  in  a  j 
Sacrament,  what,  175 ;  Nutrition  and  j 
Conversion  necessary  to  a  Sacrament,  , 
175. 

Universality  has  a  double  meaning,  158. 

Vandals,  their  persecuting  spirit,  147. 

Valens  condemns  the  setting  up  of 
images  in  Churches,  93. 

Valentinian  took  patiently  the  speeches 
of  St  Ambrose,  96. 

Vane,  Lady,  394. 

Variations  of  Stephen  Gardiner  from 
other  Papists,  307 ;  from  himself,  311. 

Varro  commended  by  St  Augustine, 
<89 ;  his  testimony  against  Image- 
worship,  89. 

Vavisor  or  Vavisour,  169. 

Verses  on  the  Knowledge  of  Christ,  124.    ! 

Victor  de  Persecut.  Afrorum,  cited,  14/.    j 

Vigilius,  his  judgment  concerning  i 
Christ's  presence,  177;  his  opinion  j 
on  misapplication  of  Scripture,  178. 

Vincentius  Lirinensis,  his  judgment  • 
concerning  the  Church,  268. 

Visitation  to  the  University  of  Cam-  j 
bridge,  328. 

Waldenses,  Confessio  Fratrum  Wai-  j 
Jensium,  374. 


Ward,  Mr,  191 ;  attributes  the  Cate 
chism  of  1553  to  Ridley,  226. 

Warner,  Dr,  note  concerning  him,  292. 

Watson,  Dr,  191 ;  charges  Ridley  with 
absurdity,  242. 

Warcup,  Mrs,  309, 382. 

Water,  conjuration  of,  to  chase  away 
devils,  197  ;  first  consecrated  by 
Alexander  I — Appendix  IV.,  500. 

Wendy,  Dr  Thomas,  Physician  to  the 
king,  169;  Commissioner  at  Cam 
bridge,  1549,  169. 

West,  his  letter  to  Ridley,  337;  replied 
to  by  Ridley,  337 ;  judgment  of 
Ridley's  preaching,  339. 

Weston,  Dr,  opens  the  disputation  at 
Oxford,  191  ;  his  loose  translation  of 
Chrysostom,  251 ;  appeals  to  the  peo 
ple  in  English,  225 ;  cites  Bernard 
against  Ridley,  226 ;  says  that  Rid 
ley  compelled  him  to  subscribe,  226 ; 
calls  Ridley  the  author  of  a  certain 
heresy,  226 ;  repeats  Curtop's  argu 
ment  in  English,  237  ;  replied  to  by 
Ridley,  237;  dissolves  the  dispu 
tation,  251 ;  claims  a  triumph  over 
Ridley,  252. 

Wharton,  Sir  Thomas,  x,  xi. 

White,  John,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  Com 
missioner  to  judge  Ridley,  255 ;  ex 
horts  Ridley  to  recant,  259 ;  reminds 
Ridley  that  he  was  once  with  them 
and  lawfully  was  made  a  bishop,  259 ; 
calls  "only  faith"  a  new  doctrine, 
260;  misrepresents  some  words  of 
Ridley,  260;  persuades  Ridley  to 
return,  260;  cites  St  Augustine  in 
favour  of  Roman  supremacy,  260. 

Wickliffe,  158. 

Williams,  Lord,  present  to  keep  order 
at  the  burning  of  Ridley  and  Lati- 
mer,  298. 

Wilkinson,  Mrs,  369,  382. 

Willowmont  or  Willymott,  origin  of 
the  name — Appendix  III.,  492. 

Willy motswick,  the  seat  of  the  Ridley 
family,  i. 

Winchester,  Bishop  of,  Chancellor, 
394 ;  ambassador  to  France  and  Ger 
many,  394. 

Worcester,  Bishop  of,  359. 

Words  in  Scripture  must  be  taken  with 
their  meaning,  157 ; 

Wordsworth,  Dr,  his  note  on  the  bi- 
shoos'  book — Note  F.,  511. 

World,  three  parts  of  the,  279. 

Wroth,  Master,  333. 

York,  the  See  of,  mother  to  the  Bishop 
rics  in  her  Province,  264;  Diocese 
of,  instructions  to,  417;  Dr  Heath, 
Archbishop  of,  iii,  vi,  429. 

Young,  169. 

Zephirus  proves  the  early  Christians  to 
have  had  no  images,  88. 


SUPPLEMENT. 


ARTICLES  to  be  inquired  of  in  the  visitation  of  the  diocese 
of  London  by  the  Keverend  Father  in  God  Nicholas, 
Bishop  of  London,  in  the  fourth  year  of  our  sovereign 
Lord  King  Edward  the  Sixth,  by  the  grace  of  God,  King 
of  England,  France  and  Ireland,  Defender  of  the  Faith, 
and  in  earth  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  also  of 
Ireland,  the  supreme  head,  next  and  immediately  under 
our  Saviour  Christ1. 


Reprinted  from  SPARROW'S  Collections. 

I  charge  tJiee  before  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
shall  judge  the  quick  and  dead  at  his  appearing  in  his  kingdom, 
preach  the  word;  oe  instant  in  season,  out  of  season;  reprove, 
rebuke,  exhort  with  all  long  suffering  and  doctrine.  St  Paul 
2  Tim.  iv.  1,  2. 


WHETHER  your  curates  and  ministers  be  of  that  conver 
sation  of  living,  that  worthily  they  can  be  reprehended  of  no 
man. 

Q1  There  was  nothing  else  of  moment  done  this  year  (1550)  in 
relation  to  the  church,  save  the  visitation  made  of  the  diocese  of 
London  by  Ridley,  their  new  bishop.  But  the  exact  time  of  it  is  not  set 
down  in  the  register.  It  was,  according  to  King  Edward's  journal, 
some  time  before  the  28th  of  June ;  for  he  writes  that  on  that  day  Sir 
John  Yates,  the  high  sheriff  of  Essex,  was  sent  down  with  letters  to  see 
the  bishop  of  London's  injunctions  performed,  which  touched  the  pluck 
ing  down  of  superaltaries,  altars,  and  such  like  ceremonies  and  abuses; 
so  that  the  visitation  must  have  been  about  the  beginning  of  June. 
Burnet,  Hist.  Reform.  Vol.  H.  p.  325,  part  2,  p.  24.  See  also  Strype 
Memor.  Vol.  n.  part  1,  p.  355 ;  also  Collier,  Eccles.  Hist.  Vol.  n.  p.  304, 
and  Cardwell's  Documentary  Annals,  Vol.  i.  p.  77.  ED.] 

34 
[RIDLEY.]  [SUPPLEMENT.] 


530  SUPPLEMENT. 

Whether  your  curates  and  ministers  do  haunt  and  resort 
to  taverns  or  alehouses,  otherwise  than  for  their  honest  neces 
sity,  there  to  drink  and  riot,  or  to  play  at  unlawful  games. 

Whether  your  ministers  be  common  brawlers,  sowers  of 
discord  rather  than  charity  among  their  parishioners,  hawkers, 
hunters,  or  spending  their  time  idly,  or  coming  to  their  bene 
fice  by  simony. 

Whether  your  ministers  or  any  other  persons  have  com 
mitted  adultery,  fornication,  incest,  bawdry,  or  to  be  vehe 
mently  suspected  of  the  same,  common  drunkards,  scolds,  or 
be  common  swearers  and  blasphemers  of  God's  holy  name. 

Whether  your  parsons  and  vicars  do  maintain  their  houses 
and  chancels  in  sufficient  reparation :  or  if  their  houses  be  in 
decay,  whether  they  bestow  yearly  the  fifth  part  of  the  fruits 
of  the  benefice,  until  the  same  be  repaired. 

Whether  your  parsons  and  vicars,  absent  from  their  bene 
fice,  do  leave  their  cure  to  an  able  minister.  And  if  he  may 
dispend  yearly  £xx.,  or  above,  in  this  deanery  or  elsewhere, 
whether  he  doth  distribute  every  year  among  his  poor  pa 
rishioners  there,  at  the  least,  the  fortieth  part  of  the  fruits 
of  the  same.  And  likewise  spending  yearly  <£c.,  whether  he  doth 
find  one  scholar  at  either  of  the  Universities,  or  some  grammar 
school,  and  so  for  every  other  hundred  pound  one  scholar. 

Whether  every  dean,  archdeacon,  and  prebendary,  being 
priest,  doth  personally,  by  himself,  preach  twice  every  year  at 
the  least,  either  where  he  is  entitled,  or  where  he  hath  juris 
diction,  or  in  some  place  united  or  appropriate  to  the  same. 

Whether  your  minister,  having  licence  thereunto,  doth  use 
to  preach;  or,  not  licensed,  doth  diligently  procure  other  to 
preach  that  are  licensed :  or  whether  he  refuseth  those  offering 
themselves  that  are  licensed ;  or  absenteth  himself,  or  causeth 
other  to  be  away  from  the  sermon,  or  else  admitteth  any  to 
preach  that  are  not  licensed. 

Whether  any,  by  preaching,  writing,  word  or  deed,  hath 
or  doth  maintain  the  usurped  power  of  the  bishop  of  Rome, 
a  hinderer.        Whether  any  be  a  letter a  of  the  word  of  God  to  be  preached 
or  read  in  the  English  tongue. 

Whether  any  do  preach,  declare,  or  speak  anything  in 
derogation  of  the  book  of  Common  Prayer,  or  anything 
therein  contained,  or  any  part  thereof. 


ARTICLES    OF    INQUIRY.  531 

Whether  any  do  preach  and  defend,  that  private  persons 
may  make  insurrection,  stir  sedition,  or  compel  men  to  give 
them  their  goods. 

Whether  the  curate  doth  admit  any  to  the  communion 
before  he  be  confirmed,  or  any  that  ken  not  the  Pater 
INoster,  the  Articles  of  the  Faith,  and  Ten  Commandments 
in  English. 

Whether  curates  do  minister  the  communion  for  money, 
or  use  to  have  trentals  of  communions. 

Whether  any  of  the  Anabaptists1  sect,  or  other,  use  no 
toriously  any  unlawful  or  private  conventicles,  wherein  they 
do  use  doctrines  or  administration  of  sacraments,  separating 
themselves  from  the  rest  of  the  parish. 

Whether  there  be  any  that  privately,  in  their  private  house* 
have  their  masses  contrary  to  the  form  and  order  of  the  book 
of  communion. 

Whether  any  minister  doth  refuse  to  use  the  common 
prayers,  or  minister  sacraments  in  that  order  and  form  as 
is  set  forth  in  the  book  of  common  prayer. 

Whether  baptism  be  ministered  (out  of  necessity)  in  any 
other  time  than  on  the  Sunday  or  holy-day,  or  in  another 
tongue  than  English. 

Whether  any  speaketh  against  baptism  of  infants. 

Whether  any  be  married  within  degrees  prohibited  by 
God's  law,  or  separate  without  cause  lawful,  or  is  married 
without  banns  thrice  first  asked  three  several  holy -days  or 
Sundays  openly  in  the  church  at  service  time. 

Whether  any  curate  doth  marry  them  of  other  parishes, 
without  their  curators  license,  and  certificate  from  him  of  the 
banns  thrice  solemnly  asked. 

Whether  any  saith,  that  the  wickedness  of  the  minister 
taketh  away  the  effect  of  Chrisfs  sacraments. 

Whether  any  saith,  that  Christian  men  cannot  be  allowed 
to  repentance  if  they  sin  voluntarily  after  baptism. 

Whether  your  curates  be  ready  to  minister  the  sacra 
ments,  visit  the  sick,  and  bury  the  dead  being  brought  to 
the  church. 

Whether  any  minister  useth  wilfully  and  obstinately  any 
other  rite,  ceremony,  order,  form,  or  manner  of  communion, 

34—2 


532 


SUPPLEMENT. 


matins,    or   even-song,    ministration   of  sacraments,    or   open 
prayers,  than  is  set  forth  in  the  book  of  common  prayer. 

Whether  your  curate,  once  in  six  weeks  at  the  least, 
upon  some  Sunday  or  holy-day,  before  even-song,  do  openly 
in  the  church  instruct  and  examine  children,  not  confirmed, 
in  some  part  of  the  catechism;  and  whether  parents  and 
masters  do  send  them  thither  upon  warning  given  by  the 
minister. 

abrogated.  Whether  any  useth  to  keep  abrogate b  holy-days  or  private 
holy-days,  as  bakers,  shoemakers,  brewers,  smiths,  and  such 
other. 

Whether  any  useth  to  hallow  water,  bread,  salt,  bells,  or 
candles  upon  Candlemas  day,  ashes  on  Ash  Wednesday,  palms 
on  Palm  Sunday,  the  font  on  Easter-even,  fire  on  Paschal,  or 
whether  there  was  any  sepulchre  on  Good  Friday. 

Whether  the  water  in  the  font  be  changed  every  month 
once,  and  then  any  other  prayers  said  than  is  in  the  book  of 
common  prayer  appointed. 

Whether  there  be  any  images  in  your  church,  tabernacles, 
shrines,  or  coverings  of  shrines,  candles,  or  trindles  of  wax,  or 
feigned  miracles  in  your  churches  or  private  houses. 

Whether  your  church  be  kept  in  due  and  lawful  repara 
tion,  and  whether  there  be  a  comely  pulpit  set  up  in  the 
same,  and  likewise  a  coffer  for  alms  for  the  poor,  called  the 
poor  man's  box  or  chest. 

Whether  any  legacies  given  to  the  poor,  amending  high 
ways,  or  marrying  poor  maids,  be  undistributed,  and  by 
whom. 


Letter  from  Bishop  RIDLEY  to  Sir  WILLIAM  CECIL. 
State  Paper  Office— Domestic. 

Printed  in  Tytler's  Letters  illustrative  of  the  Reigns  of  Edward  VI  and 
Mary,  Vol.  n.  in  fine. 

im  Sept.  1551. 

GRACE  and  health. — Your  preface  so  prettily  mingled  with 
sorrow  and  gladness,  and  the  sorrowful  sight  that  you  had 
of  the  bottom  of  your  purse,  and  your  poor  lame  house,  hath 
so  affected  and  filled  me  with  pity  and  compassion,  that  al- 


LETTERS.  533 

though  indeed,  I  grant,  1  am  blamed  because  by  my  fashion 
used  towards  some  I  may  plainly  seem  to  condemn  unlawful 
beggary,  yet  you  have  filled  mine  affections  so  full,  and  have 
moved  me  so  much,  that  you  have  persuaded  me  to  grant 
unto  you  half  a  dozen  trees,  such  as  I  may  spare  you,  and 
mine  officer  shall  appoint.  1  ween  they  must  be  pollards  ;  for 
other,  either  few  or  none,  God  knoweth,  I  think  are  left  of 
the  late  spoil  in  all  my  woods. 

And,  Sir,  if  you  that  can  move  men  so  mightily  to  have 
pity  on  the  decay  of  one  house,  if  you,  I  say,  knew  the  misera 
ble  spoil  that  was  done  in  the  vacation  time,  by  the  King's 
officers,  upon  my  woods,  whereby  in  time  past  so  many  good 
houses  have  been  builded,  and  hereafter  might  have  been; 
also  so  many  lame  relieved,  so  many  broken  amended,  so 
many  fallen  down  re-edified ;  forsooth,  I  do  not  doubt  but 
you  were  able  to  move  the  whole  country  to  lament  and 
mourn  the  lamentable  case  of  so  pitiful  a  decay.  But,  Sir, 
wot  you  what  I  thought,  after  I  had  refreshed  my  spirit  with 
once  or  twice  reading  over  of  your  letters  I  Jesus  !  thought 
I,  if  God  had  appointed  this  man  to  have  been  the  proctor 
of  a  spiritual,  that  can  thus  move  men  to  have  pity  upon 
a  lame  house ;  who  could  have  passed  by  with  a  penny  in 
his  purse,  but  such  a  man  could  have  wrung  it  out  with  words, 
although  the  passenger  had  been  never  such  a  cringe?  And 
thus  I  wish  you  ever  well  to  fare.  From  Fulham  this  6th 
of  Sept.  1551. 

Yours  in  Christ, 

NIC.  LONDON. 


EXTRACT  of  a  Letter  preserved  by  Dr  Covel,  and  printed 
by  him  in  his  "  Brief  Answer  to  J.  Burge's  reasons," 
&c.  &c.,  1606,  p.  69.  Also,  Strype,  Life  of  Archbishop 
Grindal.  Ed.  1710,  pp.  19,  20.  Gloucester  Ridley's  Life 
of  Bishop  Kidley.  Ed.  1763,  pp.  593,  4.  MSS.  Emm. 
Coll.  Bibl.  Cantab. 

RIDLEY  to  GRINDAL,  about  the  Fi'anJcfort  contests. 
"  Alas !  that  our  brother  Knox  could  not  bear  with  our 


534  SUPPLEMENT. 

book  of  common  prayer!  matters  against  which  although, 
I  grant,  a  man,  as  he  is,  of  wit  and  learning  may  find 
to  make  apparent  [meaning  plausible1]  reasons;  but  I  sup 
pose  he  cannot  be  able  soundly  to  disprove  by  God's 
word. 

The  reason  he  maketh  against  the  Litany  and  the  fault 
"per  sanguinem  et  sudorem"  [sanguineum  sudorem]  he  findeth 
in  the  same,  I  do  marvel  how  he  can  or  dare  avouch  them 
before  the  Englishmen  that  be  with  you. 

As  for  private  baptism,  it  is  not  prescribed  in  the  book ; 
but  where  solemn  baptism,  for  lack  of  time  and  danger  of 
death,  cannot  be  had,  what  would  he  in  that  case  should 
be  done?  Peradventure  he  will  say,  it  is  better  then  to  let 
them  die  without  baptism.  Sir,  for  this  his  'better1  what 
word  hath  he  of  the  scripture  2  and  if  he  hath  none,  why  will 
he  not  rather  follow  that  that  the  sentences  of  the  old  ancient 
writers  do  more  allow,  from  whom  to  dissent  without  a  warrant 
of  God's  word  I  cannot  think  it  any  godly  wisdom  ?  And  as 
for  the  purification  of  women,  I  ween  the  word  purification  is 
changed,  and  it  is  called  thanksgiving,  [but  the  book  is  taken 
from  us,  and  now  I  do  not  perfectly  remember  the  thing; 
but  this  I  am  sure  of,  the  matter  there  said  all  tendeth  to 
give  God  thanks,  and  to  none  other  end].  Surely  Mr  Knox, 
in  my  mind,  is  a  man  of  much  good  learning  and  of  an 
earnest  zeal :  the  Lord  grant  him  to  use  them  only  to  his 
glory ! 

[Where  ye  say,  ye  were  by  your  magistrates  required  gently 
to  omit  such  things  in  your  book  as  might  offend  their  people, 
not  as  things  unlawful,  but  to  their  people  offensive,  and  so  ye 
have  done,  as  to  the  having  of  surplice  and  kneeling;  truly 
in  that,  I  cannot  judge,  but  that  both  ye  and  the  magistrates 
have  done  right  well ;  for  I  suppose  in  things  indifferent,  and 
not  commanded  or  forbidden  by  God's  word,  and  wherein  the 
customs  of  divers  countries  be  diverse,  the  man  of  God,  that 
hath  knowledge,  will  [not?]  stick  to  forbear  the  custom  of 
his  own  country,  being  there  where  the  people  therewith  will 
be  offended ;  and,  surely,  if  I  might  have  done  so  much  with 

Q1  These  words  are  probably  a  gloss  of  Dr  Covel's,  but  they  are  pre 
served  both  by  Strype  and  Gloucester  Ridley.] 


LETTERS.  535 

our  magistrates,  I  would  have  required  Mr  Alasco2  to  have 
done  no  less  when  he  was  with  us.] 


Letter  from  Bishop  RIDLEY  to  Sir  WILLIAM  CECIL. 

GLOUCESTER  RIDLEY,  p.  377. 
ED.  1763. 

GOOD  Mr  Cecil,  I  must  be  a  suitor  unto  you  in  our  good 
master  Christ's  cause ;  I  beseech  you  be  good  to  him.  The 
matter  is,  Sir,  alas !  he  hath  lain  too  long  abroad,  as  you 
do  know,  without  lodging,  in  the  streets  of  London,  both 
hungry,  naked,  and  cold.  Now,  thanks  be  to  Almighty  God, 
the  citizens  are  willing  to  refresh  him,  and  to  give  him  both 
meat,  drink,  clothing,  and  firing :  but  alas !  Sir,  they  lack 
lodging  for  him.  For  in  some  one  house,  I  dare  say,  they 
are  fain  to  lodge  three  families  under  one  roof.  Sir,  there 
is  a  wide,  large,  empty  house  of  the  king's  majesty's,  called 
Bridewell3,  that  would  wonderfully  well  serve  to  lodge  Christ 
in,  if  he  might  find  such  good  friends  in  the  court  to  procure 
in  his  cause.  Surely,  I  have  such  a  good  opinion  of  the 
king's  majesty,  that  if  Christ  had  such  faithful  and  hearty 
friends,  who  would  heartily  speak  for  him,  he  should  un 
doubtedly  speed  at  the  king's  majesty's  hands.  Sir,  I  have 
promised  my  brethren,  the  citizens,  to  move  you,  because  I 
do  take  you  for  one  that  feareth  God,  and  would  that  Christ 
should  lie  no  more  abroad  in  the  streets4. 

Q3  Alasco,  or  John  a  Lasco,  an  eminent  Polish  reformer,  who  was 
placed  at  the  head  of  all  the  foreign  reformed  congregations  in  England. 
ED.] 

[3  See  Biographical  Notice,  p.  xiii.    ED.] 

Q4  Gloucester  Ridley  does  not  state  whether  he  possessed  the  original 
of  this  letter,  nor  does  he  mention  whether  he  gives  the  whole  or  a  part 
only ;  but  as  it  appears  that  Bishop  Ridley  wrote  about  the  same  time  to 
Sir  John  Gate,  urging  the  same  request,  and  sent  instructions  by  the 
bearer  of  his  letter  to  Cecil  to  confer  further  with  him  on  the  subject, 
there  would  seem  reason  to  believe  the  above  letter  to  be  entire,  and 
wanting  only  the  signature.  The  letter  to  Sir  John  Gate  is  unfortunately 
lost.  ED.] 


•536  SUPPLEMENT. 


Farewell. 

Passage  to  be  inserted  p.  408,  line  6.     MS.  Emm.  Coll. 
Bibl.  Cantab. 

FAREWELL,  Shoame  [Soham]  Vicarage,  my  cure  for  a 
little  time,  and  yet,  as  I  acknowledge,  that  little  was  too  long, 
both  for  that  after  my  receipt  of  the  benefice  I  did  not,  nor 
indeed  could  abide  in  thee,  and  also  for  that  he1  whom  the 
college  and  I  placed  in  thee  after  my  giving  over,  now,  as  I  hear 
say,  doth  yield  to  the  trade  of  the  world,  contrary  to  his  con 
ferences  had  with  me  before,  and  to  his  own  handwriting  and 
subscription  unto  the  Articles  of  religion  in  matters  of  con 
troversy. 


f1  The  living  of  Soham  was  occupied  by  Ridley  from  A.D.  1547  to 
A.D.  1552.  The  advowson  was  presented  to  Pembroke  College  by  Henry 
VI.  A.D.  1451  ,  but  some  difficulties  arose  as  to  the  legality  of  the  convey 
ance,  and  the  bishop  of  Norwich  claimed  the  advowson.  In  1502  the 
Master  and  Fellows  presented  Oliver  Coren,  Coryne  or  Curwen,  a  Fellow 
of  Pembroke  College.  In  January  1528  Richard  Gauston,  not  a  Fellow, 
was  presented,  and  it  does  not  appear  by  whom;  exchanging  with 
Coren  the  living  of  Stoke  Charity.  On  Nov.  4,  1541,  the  College  ap 
pointed  trustees  to  make  the  next  presentation  in  their  behalf.  But  in 
1542  the  bishop  of  Norwich  (in  whose  diocese  Soham  was)  interfered, 
and  granted  the  next  presentation  to  Myles  Spenser,  LL.D.  In  1547 
the  living  fell  vacant,  and  the  presentation  was  claimed  by  Pembroke 
College  for  Ridley,  then  Master,  and  by  the  bishop  of  Norwich  for 
Dr  Spenser.  Ridley  appeared  forthwith  as  plaintiff  v.  the  bishop  of  Nor 
wich  and  Spenser,  in  the  Court  of  King's  Bench,  in  a  case  of  "  Quare 
impedit,"  and  in  Easter  Term,  1  Edward  VI.,  judgment  was  given  in 
Ridley's  favour.  He  was  himself  at  once  presented  by  the  trustees  before 
alluded  to,  and  instituted  on  the  17th  of  May,  1547. 

Richard  Hebb,  Fellow  of  Pembroke  College,  succeeded  Ridley,  and 
was  instituted  on  the  5th  of  September,  1552.  ED.] 


LETTERS.  537 


Two  Latin  Letters*  immediately  preceding  RID  LEY'S  to  BRAD 
FORD,  Letters  XIV.  and  XXXI.  of  this  edition ;  lut 
without  the  name  of  the  writer  or  the  person  to  whom  sent. 

MS.  ir.  ii.  15.  Emm.  Coll.  Biblioth. 
No.  I. 

QUID  tu,  carissime  frater,  ex  musca  elephantem  facere 
conaris  ?  Mitte,  pr[ecor]3,  istas;  istiusmodi  enim  scribendo  certe 
tu  mihi  os  obstruis,  ne  vel  tuam  erga  me  et  fratrem  meum 
bonitatem  agnoscere  libere  audeam,  vel  tibi  gratias  agere,  ne 
vide  [licet]  videri  possim  aut  tuo  errore  delinitus  agnoscere 
qua?  scribas,  aut  tibi  imposterum  amplius  errandi  occasionem 
qualemcunque  prsebere.  Omissis  igitur  omnibus  istiusmodi  se- 
cularibus  oblectamentis,  laboremus  sedulo,  frater,  unusquisque 
pro  sua  virili,  decertant[esj  lidem  adjuvare.  Ingentes  Deo 
habeo  gratias  per  Dominum  nostrum  Jesuin  Christum,  qui 
istud  animo  suggessit  tuo,  ut  quod  ego  jamdudum  a  Deo  mi 
dari  obnixe  precarer,  ipse  jam  tua  sponte  mihi  ultro  ofieras, 
imo  a  me  vehementissfima]  orationc  efflagitas,  hoc  est,  tran- 
scribendi  operam  meas  qualescunqtie  lucubratiunculas  in  ne- 
gotio  nostrcc  Christianae  fidei  tuendse,  rogasque  uti  tibi  eas 

[j2  These  two  letters  are  attributed  to  Ridley,  though  bearing  neither 
the  name  of  the  writer  nor  of  the  person  to  whom  sent,  first  on  account 
of  the  internal  evidence  contained  in  the  former  of  the  two,  and  secondly 
on  account  of  their  position  in  the  Emmanuel  MSS.  It  appears  pro 
bable  that  they  were  one  or  both  addressed  to  Bradford.  The  former 
alludes  to  the  rumoured  treachery  of  Grimbold,  a  rumour  which  proved 
but  too  true.  It  mentions  the  annotations  on  Watson's  two  sermons, 
which  are  known  to  have  been  the  work  of  Ridley ;  and  it  seems  likely 
that  one  of  the  "duo  tractatus"  referred  to  in  a  previous  paragraph 
was  the  lost  and  deeply  to  be  regretted  treatise  on  Predestination  and 
Election.  If  this  conjecture  be  correct,  then  it  is  quite  certain  that 
the  former  of  the  two  letters  was  addressed  to  Bradford ;  and  a  strong 
ground  of  probability  will  be  laid  for  attributing  the  latter  also  either 
to  Ridley  as  the  writer,  and  to  Bradford  as  the  person  addressed,  or  to 
Bradford  as  the  writer,  and  to  Ridley  as  the  person  addressed.  ED.] 

Q3  In  these  two  letters  the  parts  inclosed  in  brackets  are  supplied 
from  conjecture,  the  gaps  in  the  original  generally  occurring  at  the  end 
of  lines,  where  the  edge  of  the  paper  has  been  rubbed  or  torn. — The 
words  printed  in  Italics  are  doubtful  in  the  MS. 


538  SUPPLEMENT. 

communicare  velim;  atque  in  quo  mihi  vehementer  gratifi- 
caris,  in  eo  dicis  me  te  mihi  arctiore  vinculo  astricturum. 
Ergo,  frater,  ego  libenter  tibi  communicabo  qusecunque  habeo  ; 
habeo  autein  nonnulla,  qusedam  vero  Latine,  qusedam  autem 
Anglice  scripta,  omnia  autem  ad  tuendam  sinceritatem  nostrse 
Christianas  religionis,  quam  Satan  modo  tarn  multis  et  validis- 
simis  modis  conatur  funditus  subvertere  et  profligare.  Mitto 
tibi  hie  duos  tractatus  Anglice  scriptos,  alterum  in  libello 
ligato,  alterum  vero  in  schedis  aliquot  nondum  colligfatis]  : 
in  legendo  autem  aut  transcribendo  libello  ligato  ne  scriptor 
erret,  scias  exordium  illius  tractatus  haberi  fo.  44,  et  quse 
prsecedunt  annotata  ex  aug°  dno  reponi  .  .  .  in  suo  loco  proxime 


Mitto  etiam  hie  tibi  alteram  exhortatoriam  epistolam 
scriptam  Latine  ad  fratres  qui  Christum  cum  cruce  amplec- 
tuntur.  Denique  mitto  etiam  tibi  illos  duos  sermones  quos  in 
aula  Watsonus  habuit  coram  Eegina  anno  superior!  in  qua- 
dragesima  ;  in  quibus  vehementer  laborasse  videtur,  (ut  est  vir 
acris  ingenii,)  fraudem  facere  simplicioribus,  et  imperitioribus 
(ne  veritatem  agnoscerent,  imo  ut  pro  luce  tenebras,  pro  veri- 
tate  errorem  amplecterentur)  verba  dare  :  mitto  namque  tibi 
illos  cum  meis  annotationibus,  sed  non  absque  Theseo  ;  id  quod 
tibi  inter  legendum  facile,  scio,  constare  poterit. 

Nunc,  frater,  quum  ista  qualiacunque  non  sine  aliquo 
labore  in  hunc  modum  collegi  atque  in  ordinein  redegi,  uti 
mihi  (et  si  quibus  aliis  commodare  possim)  usui  esse  possint  ; 
quam  vero  cito  ego  eis  indigebo,  incertum  habeo  ;  precor 
itaque  ut  quam  primum  commode  possis  (si  exscribere  placet) 
transcribas,  et  mihi  mea  remittas  exemplaria,  et  tune  reliqua 
quse  adhuc  apud  me  sunt  (si  ea  vel  legendi  vel  transcribendi 
animus  tibi  insederit)  habebis.  Si  auderem  aliquid  fratri  meo 
committere,  qui  nunc  solus,  ut  opinor,  longos  dies  ducit  in 
carcere,  libenter  optarem  ut  ille  aliquid  transcriberet.  Sed 
valde  timeo  ne  incautum  denuo  opprimerent,  atque  inde  in 
ilium  amplius  sseviendi  occasionem  arriperent.  Precor  ut 
ilium  jubeas  esse  forti  animo  ;  nihil  enim  est  prorsus  quod 
vereatur.  Si  enim  verus  est  rumor  quern  de  Grimbaldo  jam 
spargunt,  *  *  Grimbaldi  causa  multum  doleo  ;  ceterum  ad 
fratris  mei  causam,  scio,  ne  tantillum  quidem  pertinet. 

Bene  vale,  frater  in  Domino  carissime. 


LETTERS.  539 

No.  II. 

Quod  tain  diu  apud  te  tacuerim,  in  causa  erat  raei  hujus, 
quern  nunc  ad  te  niitto,  partus  diffusior  labor.  Et  quanquam 
parturivi  jam  diu,  nihilorainus  nunc  edo  (furor  !)  profecto  rude 
quiddam  ac  informe  et  multa  politura  indigum.  Ceterum  quia 
novi  te  meorum  laborum  (quibus,  Deus  mi  testis  est,  quam  plu- 
rimis  prodesse  et  nemini  nocere  cupio)  minime  contemptorem 
esse,  ideo  statui,  quicquid  est  et  qualecunque  sit,  ad  te  mittere. 
Tu  jam  totum  illud  pernoscas  ac  introspicias  licet ;  et  si 
transcribere  placet,  et  id  tibi  licebit  quoque.  Non  tamen  nunc 
mittam  omnia  quae  huic  tractatui  apponere  decrevi;  verum 
quia  nondum  adsunt  omnia  scripturse  loca,  quibus  hunc  meum 
tractatum  tanquam  munimento  et  vallo  corrob[or]are  con- 
stitui,  pro  mei  animi  summa  collegi.  Postquam  illud  ab- 
solverim,  tune  relegam  quod  scripsisti  prius,  et  tuum  tibi 
librum  remittam. 

De  libello  cujus  mi  legendi  copiam  fecisti,  in  quo  duo 
tarn  dissidentes  scriptores  inter  sese  collati  sunt,  scias  me  cum 
ingenio  ac  eloquentia  ejus  qui  scripsit  multuni  delectari,  turn 
hoc  vero  mi  maxime  placere,  quod  scriptorem  illius  libelli  in- 
telligam  esse  verse  pietatis  studiosum,  et  sinceritati  verbi  Dei 
ex  animo  favere ;  quern  precor  Deus  animum  illi  exaugeat 
atque  confirmet  in  seternum.  Bene  vale,  frater  in  Domino 
carissime. 

Tractatus  nostri  indicem  invenies  ad  finem  adjectum,  fo. 
47,  et  ex  ejus  lectione  facile  videbis  summam  totius  tractatus 
et  rerum  omnium  quse  in  eo  tractantur. 


Translation  of  the  foregoing  two  Letters. 
No.  I. 

WHY  do  you  try,  my  dearest  brother,  to  make  an  elephant 
of  a  fly?  No  more,  I  pray  you,  of  such  [folly].  By  writing 
in  this  manner  you  at  once  stop  my  mouth,  so  that  I 
can  neither  dare  to  acknowledge  frankly  your  kindness  to  me 


540  SUPPLEMENT. 

and  my  brother,  nor  to  thank  you,  lest  forsooth  I  should  seem 
to  acquiesce  in  the  truth  of  what  you  write,  being  cajoled  by 
your  mistaken  compliment,  or  afford  you  an  opportunity  of 
making  the  same  mistake  hereafter. 

Laying  aside  therefore  all  worldly  flatteries  of  this  nature, 
let  us,  my  brother,  labour  diligently  to  contend,  each  one  to  the 
best  of  his  power,  to  uphold  the  faith.  Very  great  thanks  do 
I  render  to  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath 
suggested  this  thing  to  your  mind,  that  what  I  have  long 
been  praying  to  God  and  earnestly  that  it  might  be  given 
me,  you  yourself  willingly  and  of  your  own  accord  offer  me 
— nay,  do  with  a  most  vehement  entreaty  demand  of  me ; 
that  is,  the  opportunity  of  your  transcribing  whatsoever 
little  works  there  are  of  mine,  undertaken  with  a  view  to 
defend  our  Christian  faith;  and  you  ask  me  to  communicate 
them  to  you,  and  [thus]  by  the  very  circumstance  which  is 
most  gratifying  to  myself  you  declare  that  you  will  be  bound 
to  me  by  a  closer  tie.  Therefore,  my  brother,  I  willingly  for 
ward  to  you  whatsoever  I  have ;  and  a  few  I  do  possess,  some 
written  in  Latin,  and  some  in  English,  but  all  for  the  purpose 
of  defending  the  purity  of  our  Christian  religion,  which  Satan 
is  now  attempting  with  so  numerous  and  powerful  means  alto 
gether  to  subvert  and  put  to  the  rout. 

I  here  send  you  two  treatises  written  in  English,  one  in  a 
bound  book,  and  the  other  in  sheets  not  yet  bound  together ; 
but  in  reading  or  transcribing  from  the  bound  book,  lest  your 
amanuensis  should  make  any  mistake,  know  that  the  introduc 
tion  to  that  treatise  is  contained  in  44  pages,  and  the  annota 
tions  which  precede,  "  ex  auf  dno  reponi"  . .  .  .  "  in  suo  loco 

proxime  p*  lyle  2n/' 

I  send  you  here  also  another  exhortatory  epistle,  written 
in  Latin  to  those  brethren  who  have  embraced  Christ  with  his 
cross.  Lastly,  I  send  you  also  those  two  sermons  which  Wat 
son  last  year  delivered  at  court  before  the  Queen  during  Lent ; 
in  which  he  appears  very  diligently  to  have  laboured  (as  he 
is  a  man  of  acute  parts)  to  impose  upon  the  simple-minded, 
and  to  delude  the  unwary,  that  they  might  not  acknowledge 
the  truth,  but  rather  embrace  darkness  for  light  and  error  for 
truth.  These  however  I  send  you  with  my  annotations,  but 


LETTERS.  541 

not  without  a  clue,  which  I  know  will  be  very  evident  to  you 
when  you  read  them. 

And  now,  my  brother,  since  I  have  thus,  not  without  some 
labour,  collected  and  reduced  to  order  these  writings  such  as 
they  are,  I  pray  you,  to  the  end  that  they  may  be  useful  to 
me,  and  should  I  wish  to  lend  them  to  others,  to  them  also, 
(for  it  is  uncertain  how  soon  I  shall  have  need  of  them,)  that 
you  will,  if  you  wish  to  transcribe  them,  do  so  at  your  earliest 
convenience,  and  send  me  back  my  copies  of  them ;  and  then 
you  shall  have  whatever  remaining  writings  I  have,  should  you 
desire  either  to  read  or  to  transcribe  them. 

If  I  dared  to  send  anything  to  my  brother,  who  is  now  I 
think"  dragging  out  a  wearisome  existence  in  solitary  confine 
ment,  I  would  indeed  desire  that  he  too  should  transcribe 
somewhat ;  but  I  greatly  fear  lest  they  should  again  surprise 
him  in  some  incautious  moment,  and  thence  take  occasion  to 
exercise  still  greater  severities  upon  him.  I  pray  you,  bid 
him  be  of  good  courage,  for  there  is  nothing  whatever  for 
him  to  fear.  If  the  rumour  which  they  are  now  circulating 
concerning  Grimbald  be  true,  I  grieve  much  for  Grimbald^s 
sake :  for  the  rest,  I  know  that  it  matters  not  one  jot  to  the 
cause  of  my  brother. 

Farewell,  my  most  dear  brother  in  the  Lord. 


No.  II. 

That  I  have  so  long  kept  silence  towards  you,  has  been 
caused  by  the  somewhat  diffuse  labour  of  this  my  production 
which  I  now  send  you.  Although  I  have  been  a  long  time  in 
travail,  nevertheless  I  now  bring  forth  (alas,  the  folly !)  a 
rough  and  shapeless  lump  which  needs  much  polishing.  Yet 
because  I  know  you  to  be  by  no  means  a  despiser  of  my 
labours,  (by  which  I  desire,  God  is  my  witness,  to  benefit  as 
many  as  possible  and  to  hurt  no  one,)  I  have  therefore  de 
termined  to  send  it  you,  whatever  it  is  and  of  whatever  sort  it 
may  turn  out  to  be. 

You  may  now  inspect  and  judge  of  the  whole,  and  if  you 
like  to  transcribe  anything,  that  also  you  can  do.  Yet  I  do 
not  now  send  all  which  I  have  determined  to  add  to  this 


«542  SUPPLEMENT. 

treatise ;  but  because  there  are  not  yet  [incorporated]  with  it 
all  those  passages  of  scripture,  with  which  as  with  a  wall  and 
trench  I  intend  to  fortify  this  my  treatise,  I  have  collected  them 
to  the  best  of  my  ability.  After  I  have  accomplished  my  in 
tention,  then  I  will  read  over  again  what  you  have  previously 
written,  and  will  send  you  back  your  book. 

As  to  the  book  which  you  have  given  me  an  opportunity 
of  reading,  in  which  two  such  different  writers  are  compared 
one  with  another,  know  that  as  I  am  much  delighted  with 
the  genius  and  eloquence  of  the  writer,  so  am  I  especially 
pleased  with  this,  that  I  perceive  the  writer  of  that  book  to 
be  a  promoter  of  true  piety  and  a  favourer  of  the  purity  of 
God's  word ;  which  mind  I  pray  God  may  increase  and  con 
firm  in  him  for  ever. 

Farewell,  most  dear  brother  in  Christ. 

You  will  find  the  index  of  my  treatise  appended  to  the 
conclusion,  (fol.  47,)  and  from  its  perusal  you  will  easily  see 
the  sum  of  the  whole  treatise,  and  of  all  the  matters  which  are 
discussed  in  it. 


NOTES.  543 


Note  on  the  TREATISE  ON  IMAGE  WORSHIP,    p.  81. 

[[This  treatise  is  ascribed  to  Ridley  by  Foxc,  who  published  it  as  such 
in  the  "Acts  and  Monuments;"  but  there  appears  reason  to  believe  that 
the  treatise  is  identically  the  same  with  one  referred  to  by  Collier,  (Eccles. 
Hist.  Vol.  ii.  p.  464,)  addressed  by  certain  bishops  to  Elizabeth.  Whe 
ther  Foxe  was  misled  in  attributing  the  treatise  to  Ridley  at  all,  or 
whether  it  was  after  having  been  presented  to  Edward  VI.  again  pre 
sented  to  Elizabeth,  by  those  who  thought  her  likely  to  "  strain  them 
further"  in  that  direction,  it  is  perhaps  at  this  distance  of  time  impossible 
to  decide.  The  first  conjecture  is  however  the  more  probable.  ED.] 


Note  to  "  VARIATIONS  OF  STEPHEN  GARDINER."  p.  307. 

[ The  collection  of  variations  in  the  works  of  Stephen  Gardiner  is  by 
Foxe  published  as  Ridley's,  but  it  appears  to  have  been  more  probably 
compiled  by  Cranmer.  In  the  edition  of  Cranmer 's  Answer  to  Gardiner, 
published  in  1580,  it  is  thus  described  in  the  title-page :  "  In  the  end  is 
added  certain  notes,  wherein  Gardiner  varyeth  both  from  himself  and 
other  papists  gathered  by  the  said  Archbishop."  Cranmer  in  his  Answer 
to  Gardiner  (Jenkyn's  edition,  Vol.  HI.  p.  221)  mentions  some  of  the 
last-named  prelate's  sophistries,  saying,  "which  here  for  shortness  of  time 
I  will  omit  at  this  present,  purposing  to  speak  of  them  more  hereafter :"  he 
might  by  this  expression  signify  his  design  to  make  some  such  collection 
as  this  present  one.  ED.] 


BX  Ridley,  Nicholas,   Bp.   of 

5130  London 

R5  The  works 


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